Life's Sacrifice
by neverephemeral
Summary: 1902, England.Kol Mikaelson,though being wealthy is bored.But what do you expect when you're a 1000 years old?His interest is sparked when he meets Danielle Wright,the epitome of virtue and innocence. KolOC
1. Most Fortunate News

**This is my first Vampire Diaries story so please be kind. :) After watching the last few episodes with the Original Family Kol pretty much caught my attention. haha. And this story popped into my head. This is the companion piece to my Kol/OC oneshot. Hopefully you all enjoy it!**

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing belonging to 'The Vampire Diaries'. I only own my own characters and I wrote this purely for fun. :D**

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><p><em><strong>Corby, England, 1902<strong>_

**A**LMOST silence surrounded her. There was an occasional snap of a twig beneath her feet and a chirp of a bird somewhere high up in the trees but other than that it was silent. She enjoyed silence it allowed her to sort through her thoughts. Though she often found herself lost in a daydream.

It was mid March and winter had come to pass. It would officially be spring in a week and Danielle couldn't wait. She loved when it was beginning of spring and everything was in bloom. It was as if everything was being reborn, a chance at a fresh start, a new life. Plus it was warmer during the spring and not the frigid cold of winter or the humidity that followed in the summer.

Danielle enjoyed exploring the woods near the manor. There was a long, dirt trail that cut through the woods but she rarely ever used it. She would often venture off the path and walk amongst the trees as if she were a fairy princess. Sometimes she was accompanied by her younger brother, Jamie, and they ran around freely. Their laughter echoing through the forest. And other times the only company she had were the forest animals and the trees themselves. She enjoyed either one.

"Miss Dani!"

Danielle, who had been lost in a daydream, turned her head to the dirt path where she saw Maura, a servant at the manor, walking quickly toward her. Her graying blonde hair was tied back in a loose bun upon her head. And her hands held her long gray skirt in her hands, trying to avoid it from getting muddy. Even from her distance Danielle could see the slight frown of disappointment on her face.

"You're getting muddy." Maura said.

"It's not that muddy, Maura." Danielle walked over to the dirt path, climbing over a large log as she did so.

The older woman shook her head. "Your mother wishes to speak to you."

"About?" Danielle looked at her.

"About some fortunate news that she received today." She answered. "Mr. Kol Mikaelson is to paid a visit the day after tomorrow."

Danielle stopped walking as she finally reached the dirt path and stood in front of Maura. To everyone but Danielle this was fortunate news. Kol Mikaelson was the most prized bachelor in England and any mother, such as her own, would hope that their daughter would be the one to catch his eye. And for her that meant her older sister Christine.

"Of course." Danielle moved past Maura, not bothering to pick up her long skirt. She didn't care if the bottom of it got a little muddy.

"And where, young lady, are your boots?" Maura asked.

"In my room I believe." Danielle replied.

"Dani." Maura sighed and followed after her. "Why must you run around outside in bare feet?"

Danielle looked over her shoulder at Maura, giving her a quick glance. "They are so constricting. I hate wearing boots. It's better without them."

Maura said nothing else on the matter already knowing it was a lost argument. Dani rarely wore her boots outside, despite the numerous scolding lectures she would get from her mother. Even as a child she preferred to run around in bare feet.

Glancing over her shoulder again, Dani gave Maura a small smile as she lifted up her skirt showing her her feet stained with dirt. The older woman let out a sigh and shook her head, causing Dani to laugh as she let go of her skirt and looked forward. Though Maura looked after Dani's younger brother, Jamie, now she still often cared for her. And despite Maura being older she had become Danielle's closest friend.

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><p>Arriving back to the Wright manor Danielle sighed as she saw the servants bustling about the place, preparing for the grand arrival or Kol Mikaelson.<p>

"No time to waste." Maura said coming to stand beside Danielle. "You know how your mother is. She wants the manor to look its best for Mr. Mikaelson."

Danielle nodded and continued on her way. As she passed some of the servants she offered them a kind smile knowing the amount of hard work they were putting in to make this place look respectable. She made her way up the double sided staircase and down the hallway to the left to her older sister, Christine's, bedroom.

She stood within the doorway and peered in. Laying on top of the bed were four dresses and Christine stood in front of her floor length mirror, holding up a dress to herself. Their mother stood off to the side also admiring the dress Christine had chose.

"This one?" Christine asked.

"Yes." Mrs. Wright nodded. "That dress would look splendid on you, darling. Purple has always been a good color for you."

Christine bit her lip as she continued to look at her reflection in the mirror. The dress in question was a dark purple color and sleeveless. It fell to the floor and had jewels lined along the low cut neckline. Danielle had to agree that the dress certainly brought out Christine's bright blue eyes but then again Christine could wear any dress she wanted and make it work.

"Well, well, if it isn't the forest child." Christine caught Danielle in her mirror and turned giving her a smirk.

Their mother, Eleanor Wright, turned and looked at her youngest daughter. The smile that was on her face a minute ago had disappeared as she stared at Danielle. She took in her daughter's appearance, inspecting every inch of her. Danielle knew it was coming before her mother even opened her mouth.

"Danielle Anne!" Mrs. Wright snapped, her eyes wide. "Your feet are filthy! How many times have I told you to not go outside without your boots on?"

Danielle looked down at her somewhat dirty feet and replied softly. "I don't like wearing boots."

"A proper lady does not go roaming around the forest bare footed!" Mrs. Wright scolded. "Honestly, Danielle."

"Sorry mother." Danielle said.

Mrs. Wright shook her head and waved her youngest daughter forward into the room. "Come Danielle, don't just stand there. You must try on your gown for the ball Wednesday evening."

"Ball?" Danielle looked at her mother.

"The welcoming ball for Kol Mikaelson." Christine looked at her sister. "Everyone is going to be there."

And that was not making her feel any better. Dani hated large crowds and avoided them at all costs but now she was expected to attend. She didn't know why she needed to be there considering Kol wouldn't notice her at all with Christine being the main focus. She had come to terms with the fact that she would always be second best to Christine. The other Wright girl if you would. She didn't mind it at all.

Unlike Christine's bold purple gown, Dani was going to wear a light pastel yellow colored gown to the ball. There were matching court shoes to go with it. She allowed her fingers to brush against the smooth material of the dress and allowed a small smile to grace her lips. It was a pretty dress. It was as if it were made out of the rays of the sun.

"Danielle!" Mrs. Wright snapped.

She looked at her mother and gave her an apologetic smile for being lost in one of her silly thoughts. She walked over to her mother and without complaining she allowed them to place the corset on her. According to her mother they had to see what the evening gown would like with the corset on. Danielle didn't agree with it but said nothing. She never argued with her mother. Danielle always obeyed.

As her mother pulled harshly on the laces of the corset, Danielle stared ahead out of her sister's bedroom window. Her eyes past over the fresh grass beginning to grow in the backyard and beyond the trees in the woods. She looked out into the distance at nothing in particular.

"Vivian says that Kol is the most handsome young man in London." Christine sighed. "And they say he's quite the flirt."

And as her sister rambled on at how handsome Kol Mikaelson was rumored to be, Danielle watched the white clouds float by slowly in the sky.

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><p><strong>I'm sorry it's so short but it will get longer and better in the following chapters. Plus Kol will be in the next one. (:<br>So what did you all think? Please review.**

**Also make sure to check out the profile for news on this story and others. :)**

**~Liliana~ **


	2. Innocent Beauty

**Here's the second chapter. :) I hope you all enjoy this one. It's longer and I'm sorry if I didn't catch all my mistakes.**

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><p><em>When the World surrounds you, I'll make it go away<em>  
><em>Paint the sky with silver lining.<em>  
><em>I will try to save you, cover up the grey<em>  
><em>With silver lining<br>-Silver Lining by Hurts _

******W**EDNESDAY was here and that meant Kol Mikaelson was to arrive at any moment and the manor was bustling with activity. The servants were running around and adding last minute touches to the decorations that had covered the manor for the ball later in the evening.

Dani sat on the blue couch in the sitting room, calmly reading one of her favorite books, as her sister paced the room anxiously awaiting his arrival. Her mother sat to the right of her in her perfect posture with her hands folded in her lap, watching her eldest daughter pace back and forth.

"Darling, please stop pacing." Mrs. Wright said. "He'll be here."

Peering over the top of her book for a moment, Dani looked at her sister. Christine was wearing a maroon colored dress with the skirt brushing against the floor and tailing slightly behind her. Her natural wavy brown hair was done in a nice bun with two strands framing her face on either side. Like all of the other men who came to the manor they would find her gorgeous.

The front door was thrown open and Jamie came running into the sitting room out of breath.

"What in the world?" Mrs. Wright looked at her son.

Jamie wore a wide smile on his face. "He's coming! He's here!"

Danielle raised an eyebrow, looking at her older sister. "You used Jamie as your look out?"

"Don't start Dani." Christine walked over to the sitting room window and peered out.

Sighing Dani went back to focusing on her book. She didn't understand the excitement that was shared between her elder sister and mother. They hadn't even met the man yet and they were already falling over themselves. All they knew was that he was young and very wealthy. To Dani that didn't seem like a ideal place to start for affections. What true feelings could grow from that, she wondered. But what would she know? She had never truly conversed with a man before being a mere girl of sixteen. According to her sister she was still a child and to her mother she was a young lady who's head was always in the clouds.

Christine gasped. "Oh my."

"HE'S HERE!" Jamie yelled throughout the manor.

Mr. Wright had appeared in the foray, coming from his study just down the hallway, and gave a small laugh. "Yes, thank you Jamie. I do believe all of Corby now knows of the arrival of Mr. Mikaelson."

Dani smiled as her mother rose from the couch and walked over to her father's side. "Dani, you must see him." Christine gushed. "Oh Dani, he's so handsome."

She closed her book, keeping a hold of it in her hand, as she walked over to her sister. Christine smiled and quickly walked out of the sitting room. Dani watched her go and then turned back to the large window, approaching it slowly. She peered cautiously out the window, spying her father greeting a younger man with a large smile. She could only see the side profile of his face but could tell he was a youthful looking man.

As if feeling eyes on him, the young man turned his head to the direction of the window, but before he could spot her Dani quickly hid from his view. Her shyness overcoming her, Dani fled from the sitting room and up the stairs as quickly as her feet would take her.

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><p>She didn't stop until she was in the upstairs hallway and leaned her back against the wall taking in deep calming breaths. Her eyes flew opened when she heard the voices of everyone downstairs. She heard Christine's flirtatious laugh and her father's booming voice and then she heard his voice. It was soft and calming with a playful undertone to it. The sound of his voice made her heart skip a beat. With her cheeks becoming warm at the thought she shook it from her mind and stepped out cautiously. Sneaking a peek to the foray she found that they had all went into the sitting room.<p>

"How strange, Danielle was in here." Mrs. Wright explained.

"She probably fled and hid somewhere." Christine added. "She's not skilled at socializing."

Danielle frowned at that. She knew how to socialize it was just Kol Mikaelson that she had a problem socializing with. And she wasn't open and witty as Christine was.

"Danielle is more reserved and soft spoken." Mrs. Wright explained quickly. "She is still at the young age of 16."

She heard a soft laugh belonging to the guest. How sweet it sounded to her ears. "It's alright, Mrs. Wright. I understand."

Dani sat at the top of the stairs, gripping tightly to the book, as she listened to them converse with one another. She focused only on the sound of his angel like voice. Was it odd that she, without actually knowing what he looked like, enjoyed the sound of his voice?

She was so enchanted by the sound of his voice that she hadn't noticed Jamie had spotted her and had come to join his older sister.

"What are you doing?" Jamie whispered, sitting on the other side of her.

She jumped slightly and looked at him. "Listening."

"Why?" He asked.

"Because." Dani replied, not having a better answer than that.

"Oh." Jamie shrugged.

Neither more was spoken between the two siblings and Dani was once again drawn in by the sound of Kol's voice. It was so smooth and soothing. And yet she could spot the playfulness behind some of his words and she couldn't help the smile that appeared upon her lips.

"And what are you two up to?" Maura appeared beside them, holding onto the railing and looking down at the two Wright children.

It was Jamie who answered for them both. "We're listening."

"Oh." Maura nodded. She looked at Dani and spotted the far away look on her face, as if she was lost in one of her day dreams. And then she noted the small smile that appeared on her lips when Kol Mikaelson laughed. "Come along Jamie."

Most of the guests had already arrived for the ball and she still wasn't dressed in her evening gown. She was dreading every minute of it not wanting to be among that large crowd. Honestly it's not like anyone would notice if she wasn't there of not. Just like earlier today, if she had stayed in the sitting room Kol wouldn't have even noticed her presence there at all. Not when Christine was in the same room as her.

Dani paced her bedroom, playing with her hands nervously, as she tried to wrap her mind around tonight. And then from nowhere she got a strange feeling in her stomach, as if somewhere were watching her. She stopped pacing and glanced around her room quickly but saw no one. She then moved over to the window in her bedroom and peered out into the night as if she could spot someone watching her. It seriously felt as if someone was standing outside and staring up at her in the window.

"Dani."

The poor girl jumped and spun around to find only Maura standing in her bedroom doorway. She placed a hand of her chest where she was sure her heart was going to jump out of her chest.

"Are you alright?" Maura asked, walking over to her.

Dani nodded. "Y-yes, I'm just nervous about tonight."

"You'll be fine." Maura said. "Besides it's Mr. Mikaelson that will be getting all the attention to night."

Dani nodded and smiled gratefully for the reassurance. Just as Maura was done tightening her corset a knock came to her bedroom door and mother entered.

"Danielle, you're not even ready yet?" Mrs. Wright sighed. "Good heavens."

"I'm almost ready, mother." Dani looked at her with a pained expression. The corset she felt was perhaps a little too tight.

Mrs. Wright nodded. "When your finished I expect you to join us down there. You still need to meet Mr. Mikaelson." She gave her a stare. "And I will not have you hiding away again like you did earlier, Danielle."

Dani nodded. "Yes mother."

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><p>Half of her straight, brown hair was tied back while the rest of it hung loose, falling to her mid-back. The gown was a pastel yellow color that fell to the floor, the hem of it brushing it ever so slightly with the sleeves falling to her elbows. And on her feet were matching pastel yellow court shoes.<p>

She turned from the mirror and looked back at Maura. "Well?"

"You look beautiful, Dani." Maura smiled.

Dani nodded and taking a deep breath she left the comfort of her bedroom.

The music played throughout the house and she paused at the top of the stairs and looked around the brightly lit manor. People crowded the foray but none looked up to acknowledge the appearance of her, the second daughter of Albert and Eleanor Wright. Holding up the front of her gown she descended the stairs and disappeared into the sea of people.

The manor wasn't large on any account but with this many people here it made it seem even that much smaller. Dani wasn't looking for anyone in particular but she wanted to at least be near one of her family members. As moved through the crowd she was having no luck in finding any of them.

"Ah, the other Wright sister."

Dani stopped walking and closed her eyes wishing that she could just disappear. Turning she came face to face with Miss Vivian Moore, Christine's closest friend and Dani's worst nightmare. Dani had come to imagine her as that evil witch in one of the fairy tale stories that she read. Vivian found pleasure in her pain. Like Christine she had naturally wavy hair but unlike Christine she had brown eyes.

"Evening Vivian." Dani said, her voice soft.

"I was wondering if you were going to make an appearance." Vivian said. "I just assumed you be off hiding somewhere. Perhaps in the same spot that you hid earlier today when Mr. Mikaelson arrived."

Dani looked away, her cheeks turning red, as she inwardly cursed her sister for sharing that information with Vivian. As if she needed anymore ammunition to fire toward her.

"Tell me, dear Dani, do you hide from all of your house guests or just him?" Vivian smirked.

Without a word Dani turned away from Vivian, trying to get as far from her as possible. She makes her way into the decorated ballroom. Now the ballroom was not large but rather a good medium sized one. She found her father and mother among the crowd and keeping them in her eye sight, she made her way over to the corner of the room, diagonal from them. She couldn't help but to smile at the private joke she made with herself, she was literally in the corner.

And then she saw him.

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><p>Couples were dancing but most eyes were only on one certain couple. Christine was dancing with none other than Mr. Kol Mikaelson. Her eyes remained glued on him though, not once looking away. He was certainly handsome and young. He was younger than she thought he would be. She thought he couldn't be more than 23 at the oldest.<p>

The way he danced was perfect. It was as though he were an expert at the dance, as if he had done it before. And his lips, his perfect lips, were pulled up into a playful smile. Dani didn't understand the tingling sensations running through her entire body. This wasn't normal she had never had these emotions before.

Her own warm brown eyes met dark brown ones belonging to him. He had caught her staring at him and she quickly looked away, her face extremely red from embarrassment. Her mother had told her a young lady doesn't stare. Still feeling his eyes on her she jumped up from her spot in the corner and disappeared into the crowd and away from his eyes.

She had thought she had escaped and found sanctuary but she was wrong. After he had finished dancing with Christine he took off after the young, innocent beauty. He found her run out to the back yard where no one was. Kol wasn't so much intrigued by her as he was amused. He had merely stared at the girl and she had blushed furiously. Mrs. Wright had not be joking when she said her youngest daughter was still young and naive.

He watched as she walked all the way to the stone wall that had lined the backyard, separating the yard from the woods. Civilization from the wild. He watched as she looked around, as if looking for peering eyes, before she slipped off her shoes, leaving them on the ground. Holding up her dress, she stepped up onto the stone wall and began to walk back and forth. Kol hadn't met a girl this innocent for many centuries. As he watched Dani he found that the solution to his boredom had been solved.

Feeling that same feeling in her stomach, Dani stopped walking and looked up. She felt as though someone was watching her but when she looked around she found no one. She was completely alone in the night. All the rest of the guests were inside.

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><p><strong>Hopefully that wasn't too lame. :p Please read &amp; review<strong>


	3. Proper Expectations

**Thank you for adding this story to the story alerts/favorites. :) Here's chapter three with some more Kol/Dani in it. It's not my favorite chapter I've written and I apologize for that.**

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><p><strong> I<strong>T was noon on the day following the ball and Dani was alone in her father's library. It was a small room with two separate bookcases against two of the walls filled with numerous books. Dani's father had read almost every single book in the room, some he had read more than once. When she was younger she would come in here and sit upon his lap as he read aloud to her. She didn't understand some of the books he was reading but it didn't matter to her because she simply loved to hear his voice. Now being much older she would come in here to escape. Her mother and sister never came in here and her father hardly ever the time.

There was a large bay window in the room with a seat that she had claimed as her own. Since the room was at the front of the house she had the perfect view of the driveway and she could see the town in the distance.

Dani had come to read quietly undisturbed but she wasn't reading now. Though the book was opened the page hadn't been turned and it sat on her lap forgotten. Instead she looked out the window lost in one of her daydreams.

She was dressed in a lavender colored dress that fell to the ground and twirled freely when she spun around in circles, with her arms spread out to her side. It had no sleeves and hung off of her shoulders a little, showing off her smooth tanned skin. Two braided strands of her hair was pulled back from her face and held back by a butterfly clip, a gift from someone perhaps. She was bare footed as she twirled around loving the feel of the fresh summer grass. Dani laughed as flower petals fell all around her and she spun some more. But then she got sight of a figure walking toward her through the shower of petals. She had stopped spinning and stood perfectly still watching as the figure became closer. Though she couldn't see whomever it was approaching her she didn't feel threatened at all.

"Interesting book?"

Dani jumps and turns to look at the doorway to find none other than Kol Mikaelson leaning to the side with his arms crossed at his chest and his lips turned into an amused smirk. She didn't know how long he had been watching her for and her cheeks became red.

"What book are you reading?" He asked.

Book? She looks down and finds that she's holding the book that she had started to read in her hand still and her cheeks become redder. Unable to speak she holds out the book and he moves from his place in the doorway to take it from her.

"Wuthering Heights." He reads the cover and flips through the pages some. Then he glances back up at her. "Have you read it before?"

She nodded. "It's a favorite of mine." Her voice was barely above a whisper.

Kol smiled. "And here I was thinking you were a mute."

Dani's cheek were was again red and she looked away from his dark brown eyes, trying to get her heartbeat back to normal. She was determined to have a conversation with him that didn't make her cheeks warm. She was feeling extremely silly at the moment considering this was the most they had talked and she was blushing.

"Have you read it?" She asked.

Kol nodded. "But I must admit that I'm not much of a reader."

Dani smiled at the thought. She couldn't see him as a bookworm but just because he didn't look it didn't mean it was true. Kol looking at her had caught the faint smile and he smirked. "Ah, she smiles."

Obviously this conversation was not the one she was going to be having with him when she didn't blush. That would be at another time. Kol laughed again at how easily she blushed. He was truly enjoying this.

"Forgive me, we haven't been properly introduced." He smiled. "Kol Mikaelson."

Dani looked at him. "Yes, I know."

He smirked. "And I know who you are."

"You do?" Dani was surprised. Had could he know her? Maybe someone told him.

"Yes." Kol nodded. "You're Miss Danielle Wright."

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><p>He knew who she was. How did he know who she was. She meant of course he knew who she was because he was staying here but still. She wasn't use to being noticed before. Especially not by someone as handsome and well known as him.<p>

"Dani." She said.

"Sorry?" He looked at her.

"Everyone besides my mother calls me Dani." She said.

Kol nodded and held the book out to her. As she went to take it from his hand, he tightened his grip on it, making her unable to pull it from him. She looked at him confused.

"I'm not everyone." His voice was low but still soft.

His pointer finger brushed against her own for the briefest moment before Dani pulled the book and her hand away. Taking a step back she moved around him, making sure not to come in contact with him, and went to the circular table only a few feet away. She took a deep calming breath trying to cool her face and slow her heart.

"I make you nervous." Kol stated.

"No." Dani shook her head and turned to look back at him.

"Mhm. So you're not nervous?" Kol took a few steps closer to her.

"I... no... I'm," she took a breath, "uncomfortable."

Kol raised his brows to her. "Uncomfortable?"

"Yes." Dani nodded. "It's improper for an unmarried young woman to be alone with an unmarried young man. Especially with someone like you."

"Someone like me?" Kol allowed his arms to drop to his sides and his smirk to grow wider. "You mean someone as extremely handsome as me?"

"Yes." Dani nodded and then blushed when she realized what she had said and shook her head. "No."

Kol crossed his arms again. "You don't find me handsome?"

Dani refused to answer and looked down at the floor, her entire face red from embarrassment. Her hands were gripping the edge of the table behind her as she avoided his gaze.

Kol's entire face was gleaming as he smirked wider. He was standing close to her now and completely amused. He sort of felt pity for the poor girl but she was so pure that she blushed so easily. "Well aren't you a little jewel."

Looking up at him she caught sight of his arrogant smirk, knowing full well he enjoyed her embarrassment. She shook her head and turned on her heel leaving the room as quickly as she could. She needed to escape from him. He was dangerous to her stable mind. Dani ran down the stairs and ran into the empty dining room. She paced back and forth breathing heavily. Finally she stopped and gripped the back of one of the wooden chairs calming herself. She was angry with herself. She was angry that she blushed so easily around him and how her heart skipped beats when he was around. Not to mention she was a little angry with how Kol was amused by it and how he knew exactly what he was doing. She wished that she had her sister's wit and confidence when it came to dealing with young men. Christine was never nervous around her suitors. Dani leaned her head against the wooden chair. Why couldn't she be more like her?

The earlier incident with Kol was put into the back of Dani's mind as she found herself playing with Jamie outside later that day. Her laughter rang throughout the air as she chased after her younger brother. When she finally caught him, she wrapped her arms around him from behind, and picked him up spinning him around.

Jamie laughed. "Dani, put me down!"

"Never! You shall be my prisoner forever!" Dani smiled, still holding onto him.

He laughed again as he tried to wiggle himself free from her grasp. "Please!"

Dani sighed. "Well, since you said please." And she unwrapped her arms from him placing him back on the ground.

As soon as his feet hit the ground, Jamie shot off like a bullet from a gun, and she watched after him smiling. She shook her head laughing and then she caught sight of Kol. He was standing at the bottom steps on the back stairs that led to the back of the manor. His hands were clasped behind his back and he was wearing a smile, not a smirk, but a smile.

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><p>She walked over to him, glancing over her shoulder at her brother, before she turned her attention back to him. "Have you come to join us?"<p>

"As tempting as it is, no, I haven't." He said and looked at her, his voice soft. "I'm sorry for making you uncomfortable earlier. That was not my intention and I hope you accept my apology."

Dani nodded. She didn't know what to say. She could tell that he didn't apologize very often and that this must not have been easy for him. She wasn't even expecting him to apologize and she was stunned. He was quite the gentleman.

"Dani!" Jamie called to her. "Come play!"

"Yes Ellie," Kol smiled, "go play."

She rolled her eyes at Kol and turned to go join her brother's game. But before she reached him she turned and looked back at Kol. "Ellie?"

"You didn't expect me to share a nickname, did you? Everyone has Dani." Kol smiled. "But I have Ellie."

She smiled, a blush creeping across her face, liking his nickname for her. And just like that he went from being a gentleman back to the playful bachelor.

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><p><strong>So how do you all like KolDani so far? Again it'll get better as they develop more.**

**Read and review! :D**


	4. Keep Company

**Here's chapter 4! Hope you all enjoy! Thank you for the new alerts, they made me smile. :)**

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><p><strong> H<strong>ER long brown hair was pulled back into a loose bun with a few strand pieces framing her face. She was wearing a light blue colored blouse with full sleeves and her skirt that fell to about a inch above the ground was a darker shade of blue. And, to please her mother, she was wearing black boots that buttoned up the sides. She didn't want to be scolded by her mother again for being outside without proper foot ware. She couldn't risk it, not with Kol being there. Dani had decided she had already embarrassed herself enough in front of him.

The birds were chirping away she noticed and couldn't help but to smile. The forest seemed so much brighter than it usually was or perhaps she was more brighter than she normally was. For once she wasn't lost in daydream but in an actual thought. Ever since she had begun speaking with Kol a blush and a smile would appear on her face. It frightened her on how a mere thought of the handsome young man could have that affect on her. She wondered if Christine had ever felt this way with one of her suitors. If she hadn't been too lost in her thoughts she would have noticed how the birds had gone quiet and the forest became still.

"Ellie."

Dani turned and found Kol standing so casually behind her on the dirt path, wearing his usual arrogant smirk, and an amused twinkle in his dark brown eyes. He was dressed in black trousers with a gray buttoned up vest with a white long sleeved shirt on underneath, with a matching gray necktie a little loose. Even in the most simple clothing he still managed to look as handsome as ever.

"Kol." She greeted.

"You seem surprised." Kol said.

"Yes, well, I wasn't expecting to meet you on a dirt path in the forest." Dani answered. "How did you even know I was out here?"

"Your sister said you are fond of the woods." Kol said.

Dani nodded. She suddenly had an unsure feeling in her stomach. Her sister talked about her to him. What could she have told him?

"I am very fond of the woods." Dani said. "I spend most of my time out here."

"I see that." Kol smirked and took a few steps forward. "And so that you are most comfortable I have brought Walter, my loyal servant, to chaperone us on our walk."

Dani looked past Kol to see a slight older man with sandy colored hair and green eyes. He had a kind smile on his face and gave her a polite nod. She looked back at Kol and gave him a small smile. She must admit she was touched at his consideration for her, not wanting to have a repeat of what happened in the library only a few days earlier.

"So, Ellie, would you like some company?" Kol asked.

Dani smiled and nodded, waiting for him to join her at her side, before she continued walking down the path. Walter followed behind them remaining enough distance to allow them to have their privacy.

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><p>It was silent between the two of them though Dani was curious about to ask him about some of the rumors she had heard. Most correctly she was curious on whether or not the things Christine and Vivian said about him were true or not. But she had no idea on how to ask him about it. It was then she realized that he was the one to start most of the conversations that happened between the two of them.<p>

As if knowing that she was have having an inner battle Kol let out a soft laugh. "Ask."

"What?" Dani looked at him.

"I know you want to ask me about the rumors, so ask." Kol said.

"Why do you assume I want to talk about you?" Dani asked.

"Because you do." He smirked.

Dani scoffed. "Well I know the rumor about your arrogance is a fact."

Kol laughed beside her his dark brown eyes gleaming. Dani shook her head and tried to think of the other things she had overheard her sister talking to Vivian about.

"You come from London?" She looked at him.

"Yes." Kol nodded.

"What's London like?" Dani asked.

"Crowded." Kol smirked.

Dani waited for more and when he continued to only smirk she gave him a gentle nudge. "And, what else?"

"It's a city full of history." Kol said. "People from all the society circles live there, occasionally mingling with one another."

"Sounds wonderful." Dani smiled.

"It was." Kol sighed.

"So then why did you leave?" She asked.

"I was bored. London had become dull." Kol answered.

She stopped walking and looked at Kol, totally confused. How could he have gotten bored in London? "You got bored?"

Kol stopped a few ways in front of her. He turned to look back at her and he nodded. "I needed entertainment."

"And you came to Corby for entertainment?" Dani asked. "Really?" Corby was not known for entertainment.

Gazing directly into her honey colored his eyes with his dark brown ones Kol smirked. "I found some, didn't I?"

Dani could feel heat rising to her cheeks under his intense and yet teasing stare. She could already see his smirk getting wider as her cheeks turned redder. Shaking her head she walked past him quickly, ignoring how his hand brushed against hers lightly.

"And your family? What of them?" Dani asked.

There was no answer and she glanced beside her to find an almost sad far away look upon his face. He was staring straight ahead with no smirk or any emotion on his face but she could see that his eyes had become a bit duller. They had lost their spark and she felt horrible.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry." Dani's voice was soft and she had slowed her walking.

Kol shook his head. "My family hasn't been a topic of conversation for some time."

Dani nodded. "Maybe one day you'll tell me about them."

"Perhaps." Kol gave a shrug.

This is why Dani preferred silence. This is why she wasn't social with people. Sometimes you would stumble upon sensitive subjects and no matter how much you longed to take back the words that led you there you can't. She didn't like it when Kol was being quiet and not teasing. It just didn't suit him.

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><p>"It's been said that you have been known to sweep more than one woman off of her feet." Dani said quickly.<p>

Kol smirked causing Dani to smile in relief. He certainly cheered up rather quickly. "Is that so?"

She nodded.

"You certainly know an awful lot about me." He teased.

She blushed. "Y-yes. Well when you have an older sister like Christine it is hard not to know." She shook her head. "Not that Christine was speaking of you all the time just often enough." That didn't sound right either.

"I have heard rumors about you, Miss Wright." Kol said, clasping his hands behind his back and looked at her.

"Rumors?" Dani asked. "Like what?"

"Oh, nothing of importance." Kol shook his head. "Except that you tend to go outside without proper foot wear." He stopped walking and sighed, staring down at her feet. "But alas, here you are wearing boots in the woods."

She stopped too and glanced down at her covered feet and then back up at him. He had a mischievous gleam in his eyes and she looked back to Walter who had stopped but remained silent on the matter.

"My mother has scolded me for being barefooted." Dani said.

Kol shrugged. "What's it to her? They're your feet are they not?"

"But proper young women do not go outside without proper foot wear." Dani explained.

Kol simply smirked back at her. She shook her head and she looked down at her boots before back at him. "I do prefer it when I'm without constricting foot wear."

"So then take them off." Kol said.

Dani bit the corner of her lip as she looked down at her boots, unsure of herself. Her mother would not be pleased.

"Come Ellie, I will not tell." Kol said. "You can trust me."

"Can I?" She looked at him.

He stared back with a serious yet innocent look on his face. "We are friends are we not?"

"Yes." She nodded.

"So then trust me." Kol offered her a smile.

Her mother would scold her if she took of her boots, especially since she did it in Kol's company. Looking back at him once more, Dani smiled, and knelt down unbuttoning her boots.

Later that evening as Dani sat at her vanity table, Maura brushed her long hair. Dani looked down at her hands in her lap unable to stop the smile on her face as she thought about earlier in the day, when she had her walk with Kol. She had been right. When she had returned home and her mother saw her with Kol, and her boots in her hand, she was not pleased. Dani had received a scolding like never before but she didn't seem to mind. She couldn't stop thinking about Kol and his smile as he encouraged her to take off her boots.

"Did you have a good walk today with Mr. Mikaelson?" Maura asked.

"Yes." Dani replied. "I enjoyed myself."

Maura nodded. "Good."

Looking up, she caught sight of Maura's frown in the mirror, and she scrunched her eyebrows together in confusion. "What?"

"Nothing." Maura shook her head.

She sighed and stopped brushing her hair. "I'm worried Dani. It's just that you are so young and haven't had much experience with young men that I worry about you being in his company. Mr. Mikaelson is young, handsome and as you know, quite popular with the ladies."

"Maura, you need not worry." Dani smiled. "We are friends, Kol and I."

"Exactly. You're so innocent compared to him." Maura placed the back of her hand on Dani's cheek staring at her in the mirror. "Just be careful Dani. Don't get too close."

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><p><strong>Did you like? Expect some drama to follow in the next chapters. ;)<strong>

**Thank you to all the reviews for the last chapter. Just to know if this story is being read or not, I won't be adding another chapter until I get 3 reviews. I hate doing it I just want to know if people are reading this story or not.**

**So please review! :D**


	5. Atwood

**Thank you for those reviews that you guys left. :) They made me smile. Keep on reviewing and adding my story to your favorites and alerts. It means the world.**

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><p><strong> E<strong>IGHT thirty in the morning chimed the clock in the dining hall. The early morning sun shone through the double doors that led out onto the balcony, creating shadows on the pale yellow colored walls with white trimming. The long rectangular dining room table was covered with food with a nice vase of fresh flowers as a center piece.

Mr. Wright sat at the head of the table with his wife sitting at the other end of the table. Dani sat to the right of her mother with Christine sitting directly across from her. Kol sat on the other side of Christine which was diagonal to where Dani sat and directly across from Jamie who had his seat next to his sister.

While the rest of them talked openly with one another Dani sat quietly in her seat trying to enjoy her breakfast. She found that it was a rather difficult task with the glances that she received from Kol every now and then. And she received the occasional jealous glare from Christine, from who Kol's glances did not go unnoticed.

"How are the renovations coming along, Mr. Mikaelson?" Mrs. Wright asked.

"They're coming." He said. "I walked to the estate the other day and I say that the manor should be ready for me to live in a few weeks or so." He glanced at Dani. "Give or take."

"There's no hurry for you to leave." Christine said. "I enjoy having you around."

Dani rolled her eyes and was caught by Kol who gave her a sly smirk, making her turn her head back down to her plate of eggs. Pushing her food around with her fork, the more her sister flirted with Kol, the more quickly her appetite disappeared.

"Dani."

She sat up straighter and looked at her father. All eyes were on her and she gave him a sheepish smile. "Father?"

"I asked if you have walked to Mr. Mikaelson's estate with him." Mr. Wright smiled. "Considering you spend all your time in the woods, I figured that you would have a quicker way to get there, then going all the way down that bloody path." He looked to the right of him at the young man. "If there's a short cut my Dani would know it."

"Like a fox would to its den." Christine added sending her sister a glare before she sipped some of her tea.

Dani was confused. Walking to Kol's estate? She didn't know he had purchased property here in Corby. Well she knew in Corby but she didn't know so close by.

"I think Ellie is confused by your words, Mr. Wright." Kol smiled. "She is lost."

"I do believe you are correct." Mr. Wright looked at his daughter. "Mr. Mikaelson has purchased Grey Hall."

Grey Hall had been emptied for years. For as long as Dani could remember that massive, dark place had been empty of humans. She had walked there once when she was a lot younger and had been easily tired out. It's quite the walk and she was surprised that she hadn't noticed Kol's long absence the other day. He had only been gone for an hour not even and the walk is almost 2 hours. Was he really that fast of a walker, Dani imagined.

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><p>"You don't mind living with ghosts?" Dani asked.<p>

"Danielle." Mrs. Wright looked at her daughter shocked.

Mr. Wright smiled while Kol simply smirked as he always does. Dani looked at her mother and looked down her cheeks turning red.

"Dani, honestly." Christine nudged her under the table with her foot.

"It's just, Grey Hall is haunted." Dani said quietly and went back to pushing her breakfast around on the plate. "Or at least it has been rumored."

"It being haunted is what attracted me to it in the first place." Kol smiled. "I do enjoy a good haunt every once and awhile."

Christine shook her head. "I wouldn't. Ghosts frightened me."

"Not all ghosts scare me." Jamie added. "Only the mean ones."

Mrs. Wright shook her head at her youngest child. "And you've had run in with ghosts, have you, Jamie?"

Kol watched Dani sit in silence, not voicing her thought on the matter. He was curious as to what she thought about the supernatural. "And you, Ellie, what do you think of ghosts?"

Dani looked at him, shrugging. "I don't know. I've never encountered any ghost or any other supernatural creature to form an opinion on. But I don't think I would be scared. I might enjoy the company."

"If the ghost were an unhappy one, what then?" Kol asked.

"If someone were moving into my home and changing it around I would be a little unhappy myself." Dani smiled gently. "As long as the ghost never harmed me in any way, he or she may haunt to their delight. It's their home anyways."

Kol sat back in his chair, looking at her, resting his hand under his chin and gave her an impressed smile. Dani returned the smile and catching her sister's unhappy glare, quickly looked away and down at her plate. By how much she had looked down at her plate she had remembered the designs on it. She could tell without looking at her mother that she was not pleased.

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><p>"A letter just arrived for you sir," Henry came in carrying the letter in his hand and giving it to Mr. Wright.<p>

Mr. Wright nearly chocked on the tea he was sipping and quickly tore open the letter, scanning it quickly.

"Who's it from, dear?" Mrs. Wright asked.

"Philip Atwood." Mr. Wright smiled. "He's returning home within a week. He'll be here in enough time for the spring festival in town."

Dani glanced at Kol her interested peaked. When her father spoke Mr. Atwood's name, Kol became almost annoyed. Uncomfortable if you would, as if he had a run in with Mr. Atwood before and did not want to repeat it again. His playfulness was swiped from his face and she could see that he was angered by the news that Mr. Atwood was returning.

"Are you familiar with the Atwoods?" Mr. Wright asked.

Kol snapped out of his unpleasant thoughts and looked at him, giving him a curt nod. "You could say that."

"Do you socialize in the same circles?" Christine asked.

Kol glanced at her. "More like overlap."

Dani continued to look at him confused. Why was he uncomfortable hearing Atwood's name?

"You know what the means Dani." Christine smiled.

"What?" She looked at her.

She smiled wider. "Edmund is returning."

Dani wanted to sink further into her chair when she caught the look that Kol was giving her at the moment. It was her turn to be unhappy and uncomfortable after hearing a certain name. Edmund Atwood was Philip's only child and heir to the fortune. He was older than Dani, most likely around the same age as Kol, and he was taken with her. She didn't know why. She was in no way taken with him nor had she encouraged him on at all.

"Edmund has had his eyes on Dani since last year." Christine explained to Kol. "He's quite taken with her."

Dani blushes and ducks her head wishing to disappear. She could already hear the smart remark that was going to escape from Kol's mouth and see the smirk that went along with it.

"How could you not be?"

She closed her eyes wishing to be anywhere else. If Christine didn't hate her already she most certainly did now and she could already hear the word lashing she would receive from her mother. She was going to have to talk to Kol about finding new ways to be entertained rather than using her embarrassment.

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><p>Dani sat on top of the stone wall facing the woods with her back to the manor. She stared into the woods with thoughts buzzing through her head a mile a minute. For some reason she couldn't shake off Kol's reaction to Atwood. Had they crossed paths in London or did they meet somewhere else? Was it Philip Atwood himself he was bothered with or Edmund. It wouldn't shock Dani if Kol had enemies. He was rather arrogant when he wanted to be and his emotions could change with a snap of a finger but he wasn't all bad.<p>

She hadn't been out there long before Kol joined her. He sat beside her but instead of facing the woods he faced the manor. He kicked at the ground and crossed his arms over his chest.

"So you do have a beau."

"He is not my beau." Dani looked at him.

"A friend then." Kol said.

"I suppose." Dani shrugged.

"Does he know that?" Kol asked.

She shook her head. "Why do you care so much?"

"Why do you think I care?" Kol countered, sending her a smirk.

Dani sighed as her face turned red and looked away from him and out to the woods. "How do you know the Atwoods, Kol?"

He was silent.

"Have you only met Philip?" Dani asked.

Kol nodded. "Yes."

It was silent again until Kol answered with a very steady voice. "We're both hunters."

She looked back at him and noticed that his gaze was set straight ahead to the manor, his dark brown eyes nearly black with no emotion on his face. Not asking what he meant by that she turned back to the woods. Both of them sitting in silence.

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><p><strong>So what did you guys think? Leave a review and let me know what you think. :)<strong>


	6. Sleep Now, My Love

**Here's chapter 6! It's a bit short but it's from Kol's POV so hopefully that makes up for it. :) I hope you all enjoy it and that I've written Kol correctly. :p  
>Thank you for the reviews! Keep 'em coming! :)<br>And while writing this chapter, I listened to a track from 'The Tudors' soundtrack called 'Pleasured Distractions'. It's very pretty and sort of sets the mood.**

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><p><strong>H<strong>ER heart was racing not from fear but from excitement of the richest and most dangerous kind. His lips easily broke through her smooth skin on her shoulder and instantly he felt the warm liquid slide into his mouth. He sucked on her right shoulder enjoying the taste of warm human blood in his mouth. Deciding that he wouldn't kill one of the servants who worked here in Wright Manor, he pulled away, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth with his thumb.

Kol stood up and walked the young servant girl to the door of his bedroom and paused. With his dark brown eyes he stared directly into her hazel ones. "You will forget that I drank from you and that I'm a vampire." Then he opened his door and gave a nod of his head. "Go."

Closing the door Kol turned back and looked at his servant, Walter, who stood beside the chair he was previously sitting in. He sighed. "That's the one thing I miss about London, Walter. There was plenty of fresh food. Unlike here in Corby."

Walter nodded. "You could always drink from one of the Wright daughters. Ms. Christine perhaps, sir?"

"No." Kol shook his head. "It would get messy rather quick. Christine would panic and create a scene."

"Then the youngest one." Walter suggested. "Ms. Danielle?"

Kol thought a moment. To say he hadn't thought about tasting Ellie's blood would be a total lie. To taste virgin's blood is desirable but he couldn't. He sat in the chair and thought about what she would taste like, biting into her soft flesh. Before his eyes could change, Kol took a calming breath and shook his head.

"Out of the question. She's much too virtuous for that, Walter." Kol said. "Ellie is but 16. No, I won't taste her quite yet."

Walter stared down at the vampire in the chair with raised brows. Kol refusing to taste someone? He had not seen Kol do this before, especially when the girl was pure. Kol lived for tasting virgin's blood and corrupting their souls. It was all a game to him but since he had set his sights on Ms. Danielle for entertainment, it had changed. He had changed.

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><p>"My main problem right now is that you failed to tell me that the Wrights were friends with Philip Atwood." Kol looked at Walter. "I told you to research everything you could on this family, Walter."<p>

"I did sir." Walter answered.

Kol rose from his chair and looked at his loyal servant with dark eyes. "And you didn't know that Albert Wright's closest friend was Philip Atwood!" He shook his head. "No matter now though. I'm not worried about Philip."

"Then what?" Walter asked.

Kol walked over to the table in his room and poured himself a shot. "Edmund Atwood. I've never met Philip's son."

"And now?" Walter looked at his master.

"Well he knows Ellie." Kol smirked and drank the shot in one gulp. "I intend to become acquainted with Edmund."

The silver light from the moon peered through the clear glass casting a white glow in the room while also keeping some of the room in the dark. Kol had easily made his way into Ellie's room undetected and had sat in the chair that was at her vanity table.

He allowed the tip of his fingers to brush over the top of the vanity table. It was organized, like Ellie, with nothing out of place. There was a brush that she used on her beautiful mid-back length, straight brown hair that she received from her father. And a mirror sat at the back of the table where she would stare at her reflection with her mother's eyes. He noticed a painted picture laying on the table and picking it up he turned it over to find it signed by her younger brother. He smiled, she doted on her younger brother, being the closest to him. Jamie was very important to her. He could relate to the feelings of being an older sibling to a younger one. He had two younger siblings. There was once, centuries ago, where he doted on his younger brother. But it was centuries ago.

Like a child would, he sat with his arms laying on the back of the chair, and his chin resting on top of them as he gazed upon the sleeping girl in her bed only a few feet away from where he sat at her vanity table. It amazed him so that Ellie could sleep so peacefully undisturbed while danger sat not that far from her. Even if he did want to kill her, which he doesn't, he couldn't.

Watching her head resting on her pillow, the silver light from the moon shining on her face, her blanket resting on her stomach having slid down during the night, he envied her. Her left arm laid at her side while her right hand was opened and laying beside her head on the pillow.

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><p>He stood beside the bed now, listening to the sound of her calm heart beats through the quiet room. Kol brushed the back of his finger against her cheek, feeling the warmth of her smooth skin, wondering if he could make her blush even in her sleep. Watching her sleep in all her innocence he almost took pity on her and change his mind about using her for entertainment, almost. But he's Kol Mikaelson and he needs his entertainment.<p>

Kol leans close to her face. His lips hovering just inches above hers, so close that he can feel the breath escaping from between her slightly parted lips. He remains in that position for a few minutes wondering if he should allow his lips to brush hers.

No. He doesn't.

"Sleep now, my love." Kol whispers.

And like that the room is empty except for the young girl asleep in her bed, completely unaware of the visitor she had just received in the night.

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><p><strong>Was it pathetic as I thought it was? : I can actually imagine Kol doing this. Being a creeper. haha. :)**

**Read & Review Please :)**


	7. Mere Amusement

**Another chapter. :) Thank you for the reviews. I'm so glad that you're all enjoying this story. This is a light happy chapter. :) Hope you all enjoy.**

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><p><strong> A <strong>week had finally passed and the first day of spring was only a day away. The spring festival in town would be the following day and Dani, who usually enjoyed it, was feeling anxious about it. Edmund and his father, Philip Atwood, would be at the festival. She was nervous as to how Kol was going to behave seeing a person who was clearly not in his favor. But she was even more nervous on how Kol and Edmund were going to get along. She didn't know why she was so worried about it but she was. Nothing that she could do would be able to calm her nerves.

Dani sat at her window, her knees pulled up to her chest, with her head laying upon them gazing out the window. Her mother had come into her room and had begun to search through Dani's closet for a nice dress that she could wear tomorrow for when she saw Edmund.

"What about this one?" Mrs. Wright held up a light pink colored dress. She looked at the dress and then to her daughter. "It's very pretty."

Dani turned her head and nodded before she looked back out the window. She didn't really care for that dress. In fact Dani really didn't care to choose a dress out for tomorrow because her mind was preoccupied with other thoughts. Like what she might do if Edmund and Kol came to exchange blows. Edmund was a very proud sort of man and Kol was playful to say the least. He got a kick at pushing people's buttons, something Dani would never understand.

"Danielle you could at least pretend you were you interested." Mrs. Wright sighed. "Try to be helpful."

"What mother?" Dani turned to look at her. "How may I be of some assistance?"

"A little less sarcasm please." Mrs. Wright shot her daughter a look before walking back over to the closet and began to look through her dresses again. "Do you know Edmund's favorite color?"

"No." Dani answered.

Mrs. Wright shook her head. "Well what color does he like to see on you?"

"I don't know." Dani shrugged. "He's never said."

Mrs. Wright turned, looking at Dani, her hands on her hips. "That was no help at all Danielle."

"Forgive me, mother." Dani dropped her legs so they laid flat against the seat. "Tomorrow I shall make it a point to ask him what color he favors."

Silence fell upon mother and daughter. Dani couldn't remember the last time that her and her mother had a meaningful conversation. Mrs. Wright usually spent her time with Christine, talking about suitors among other things. While the only time her and her mother spent talking was when she was explaining on how a proper young lady of Dani's age acts. And scolding her for daydreaming.

"Speaking of that I've been meaning to discuss your growing friendship to with Mr. Mikaelson." Mrs. Wright clasped her hands together in the front.

"How does Edmund's favorite color remind you of Kol?" Dani asked.

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><p>Mrs. Wright gave her a pointed look and in return Dani stared down at her own hands in her lap and began to play with her fingers. It was a valid question or at least she thought it was. It was only a matter of time before her mother decided to comment on her and Kol's friendship. She supposed that she was going to scold her for being friends with a man that apparently belonged to Christine. How dare she insult her sister like that. Oh, wait no, Dani thought, not insult embarrass. Because apparently Dani was always embarrassing someone in the family and not just herself.<p>

"I worry about you becoming too close of a friend to Mr. Mikaelson." Mrs. Wright sat on the edge of Dani's bed, looking at her daughter.

"We're friends mother. That's all." Dani said.

"You spend an awful lot of time in each others company." Mrs. Wright said. "I've never seen you so comfortable with another person before."

Dani sighed. "Well then we're good friends. He just has a way of making me feel naturally comfortable in his presence."

"Exactly." Mrs. Wright said.

Dani turned her head to look at her mother with a questioning look. What had she done now to displease her mother?

"He's from London, Danielle. He's older than you." Mrs. Wright gave Dani a look. "You do not have the experience that he has."

"Assuming you can only get experience from London." Dani sighed.

"Honestly, what is with your attitude today, young lady?" Mrs. Wright shook her head. She sighed again and gave a quick glance around the room before she looked at her daughter again. "I fear he's attracted to you only for your virtue."

"Mother!" Dani's face flushed.

"You are naive to these matters, Danielle." Mrs. Wright stood up from the bed, lifting a hand to her daughter. "You wouldn't know if he was or wasn't!"

Dani turned her body so that she was fully facing her mother, with her hands placed on either side of her on the window seat. "Mother, he is not after me for my virtue. We are friends. That's it." Her face still red. "The only thing he seeks from me is entertainment. Mere amusement. That's the only interest he has in me."

"And it's that thought, Danielle, that makes you naive." Mrs. Wright sighed.

The house was quiet later in the afternoon. Maura and Jamie had gone for an afternoon walk and Dani had been invited to go along but she denied the request. She wouldn't have been able to enjoy the walk because she would be weighed down with troubling thoughts. She knew Maura would question her about it and she didn't particularly want to talk about it. Dani would know that Maura would agree with her mother on the matter concerning Kol and would warn her again about becoming too close to him. Why were there double standards? Why did she and Christine have separate rules. Christine could get as close to Kol as she wanted but if Dani dare to strike up a friendship with him, he was after her innocence. But he wasn't after Christine's.

So she sat on the couch in the sitting room working on her sewing, alone with her thoughts. She couldn't even enjoy the quiet because of her maddening thoughts. Her mother thought her naive. Dani was not as naive as people thought her to be. She could make her own judgments on character. She was angry that people thought other wise.

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><p>"Ouch." The needle pricked her thumb.<p>

Looking at her thumb, she watched as a small drop of blood appeared from under the skin. The red standing out against the pale of her skin. She put her thumb to her mouth and sucked the blood from her skin.

"You're troubled with thoughts."

Dani jumped and looked to the door way of the sitting room to find Kol standing there. "What?" She looked down at her thumb.

"You pricked yourself." Kol said.

"Yes, thank you. Because I was unaware I had done so." Dani frowned.

Kol smirked moving into the room. "So harsh."

Dani shook her head her focus back on her sewing. She continued on with her sewing and ignoring Kol's presence until she heard him sigh loudly. Glancing up she found standing beside one of the chairs that were in the room.

"What's wrong with you?" She asked.

"I'm bored." Kol sat upon the arm of the chair before he fell back into the seat of it, his legs dangling off the arm of the chair. He looked over at her, a look of innocence upon his face. "Entertain me, Ellie?"

"Entertain yourself, Kol." Dani shook her head.

She was too busy with her thoughts to entertain Kol at the moment. She now understood why some people wanted to punch him or became annoyed with him so easily.

"What is wrong with you?" Kol asked.

"At the moment?" Dani looked at him and he nodded. "Being annoyed."

She hoped that would make him shut up, to drive him from the sitting room, but it didn't. If anything it gave him pleasure, her being so cross with him. He had never seen this side of her before and he was loving every second of it. His eyes were twinkling and a smirk was forming.

"Why not have Christine entertain you?" Dani asked.

"I'd much rather have you entertain me." Kol replied.

Dani rolled her eyes. "You're so childish."

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><p>Kol swung his legs around to the side, so that he was sitting properly in the chair, his feet planted firmly on the floor. He knelt forward with his arms resting on his knees and his hands clasped together. His entire attention was focused on her, a smirk on his face and a twinkle in his eyes. "And you're adorable."<p>

She couldn't stop the skip of her heart or the way her cheeks turned red. She let out a shaky breath and only paused in her sewing for a second not even. She didn't dare look up from her sewing but she heard a light triumphant laugh come from her side where he sat in the chair.

He sat back in the chair with his hands laying upon his chest a smirk on his face and his eyes set directly on her. Kol was amused.

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><p><strong>Enjoy it? Please review and tell me what you think! :) Makes me update quicker.<strong>

**The next chapter will consist of the spring festival which means Danielle & Edmund talk and (drum roll) Kol meets Edmund. So basically a dramatic chapter next! **


	8. Festival Fun

**So Kol & Edmund meet and Kol is just being, well, Kol. This isn't my best chapter but it's the chapter that sort of gets the ball rolling. ;) Hope you all enjoy all the same. :)**

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><p><strong> T<strong>WO pieces of her hair were twisted and pulled back away from her face being held by a small brown clip, while the rest of her hair was pulled into a loose ponytail that hung over her right shoulder, keeping it out of her face. She wore a light green colored dress that fell to her ankles and swayed whenever she moved. And on her feet she wore gray colored boots that laced up the front. Dani was excited for the festival but also nervous. She would be seeing Edmund and she was worried on how Kol and him would get along. Kol hadn't met Edmund but for all she knew is that Philip could have told Edmund not to trust Kol for whatever reason. In a way she wanted to ask Kol how he knew Philip Atwood but never did, leaving the thought in the back of her mind but not forgotten.

The spring festival had been a tradition of the small English town of Corby for as long as anyone could remember. It's been around for years and it was mainly an excuse for the townspeople to join together and catch up on old times while welcoming in a new spring. There were games and music and just a whole day of fun. The most enjoyable part for Dani was the fact that women got ribbons of all different colors and she would often tie them in her hair and run around with them flowing freely in the breeze, much to the annoyance of her mother.

"You are about to experience one of Corby's finest traditions, my boy." Mr. Wright smiled. "The spring festival. Such fun, such fun. I met the my wife here at the spring festival. It's where I stole my first kiss, isn't it Eleanor?" He looked to his wife.

Mrs. Wright shook her head. "I don't have the slightest idea what you're talking about, dear."

Dani smiled at her father's teasing before she walked ahead to watch Kol's stride. Her left hand grabbed his elbow as she smiled up at him. "Though Christine will be merely showing you off." She whispered.

Kol laughed and knelt his head down so that his lips were close to her ear. "I love being shown off."

She nudged him and rolled her eyes before she ran ahead and grabbed Jamie's hand, both of them laughing and running, leaving the rest of their family and Kol behind. She glanced back over her shoulder and caught Kol laughing after her as he continued walking and watching her. He was truly laughing and she made it a point to save that image of him in her mind. It was a glorious sight.

Dani was in the middle of tying a dark ribbon to the bottom of her hair when Jamie came running over to her. "Dani, come dance!"

She looked around quickly for Kol and when she couldn't spot him, she took her brother's hand and went with him to the wooden platform that was being used as a dance floor. As the music started, Dani smiled down at her brother, taking both of his hands into hers and directing him on where to step and win.

Laughing she twirled him under her arm making him laugh along with her. It wasn't long before both siblings simply started to spin with one another instead of doing the proper dance steps. When Jamie let go of her she spun around until she knocked into someone.

"Oh, I'm so sorry." Dani blushed and looked up at the person as she took a step back. When her honey eyes connected with blue ones she gasped. "Edmund."

"Hello, Dani." Edmund smiled back.

It was quiet with Dani looking down at her feet. She didn't really know what to say to him.

"You seem to be enjoying yourself." Edmund said.

"Y-yes." Dani looked at him. "I always enjoy myself at the festival."

"I remember." Edmund nodded, still smiling.

Dani nodded not really sure how to respond. She looked at him noticing nothing really physically changed about him or that she could see anyways. He was still tall and still had his dark brown hair that sat in waves with his crystal blue eyes. If anything he seemed to have become more confident almost. Edmund had always had confidence though, almost to the point of being over confident. She was never really comfortable with him to begin with.

"Something's different about you." Edmund looked at her.

"Oh?" Dani stopped biting her lip. "What's that?"

"You're more pretty than I remember." He smiled.

Dani blushed red and looked down at her hands. He laughed and shook his head. "Still blushing like mad as always."

"Yes her ability to blush has become my main entertainment while here in Corby." Kol smirked coming to stand beside Dani, causing her to lift her head and look at him, while he held out his hand to Edmund, the smirk still in place. "Kol Mikaelson."

If Dani thought it was awkward before with just her and Edmund it now had gotten worse.

"Edmund Atwood." Edmund shook Kol's hand looking none too please about it. He glanced between him and Dani before his eyes fell back onto Kol. "I hear that you've been a house guest at the Wright Manor."

Kol nodded. "You hear correctly."

"And how are you fitting in here?" Edmund asked. "You must long for London."

"Not as much as you might think. I've been getting along just fine here." Kol glanced at Dani. "Like I said, I've been kept entertained."

Dani blushed and looked away. She knew what Kol was doing and she wanted to slap him for it. Glancing at Edmund she could see that he wanted to kill Kol and she sighed.

"So you've become friends?" Edmund looked at her.

"Mhm." Dani nodded her voice soft. "We have."

"Ellie is excellent company." Kol smirked. "Especially when exploring the woods."

"Ellie?" Edmund looked back to Dani.

"It's what he calls me." Dani smiled lightly. "Kol here didn't want to call me what everyone else did so he chose a nickname for me."

Edmund looked back to the young man standing close beside Dani, the smirk that seemed permanently plastered to his face, got a little wider as his dark oak eyes twinkled. "Really?"

"Yep." Kol smirked. "My Ellie."

"Kol." Dani looked at him. "Please, be nice."

Kol looked at Dani for a moment. He stared into her eyes a little bit longer than necessary but when he saw Edmund's hands clench into a fist he couldn't help but to smile a little bit more. What's one more thing going to do to him?

"For you Ellie," Kol gave her a smile, "anything."

Seeing how still Edmund was becoming and how tight his clenched fists were, Dani sighed and took a step forward, placing her body in between the two men. "Perhaps Edmund, you would like to go say hello to my parents."

Edmund and Kol continued to stare at each other. Edmund's eyes were narrowed in on him while Kol's were light and amused the smirk never faltering. Another tense moment passed until Edmund sighed and glanced down at her.

"I'll speak to you later."

"Of course." Dani nodded. Anything to get these two men away from each other.

She watched him walk away.

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><p>"Oh, say hello to your father for me!" Kol called after him.<p>

Dani closed her eyes taking a breath before she spun around to face him. "What did I just say about saying nice?"

"I told him to say hello to his father for me." Kol said.

She shook her head. "Kol."

"I thought I was an angel." Kol smiled.

"Please? Could you not make it more difficult than it has to be." Dani asked. "He already hates you."

"He has a bad judge in character then." Kol shook his head. "Everyone adores me."

"Kol." Dani sighed. "For me? Please?"

Kol gave a dramatic sigh before nodding. "I suppose. But know, the spring festival, just got a whole lot more boring. You just took away my source of entertainment."

"But you have me for that." Dani smiled.

Kol nodded. "Very true."

Dani had no idea where Kol had disappeared to but considering no one was panicking and crying for a doctor then she assumed that he had kept his word and didn't start a fight with Edmund. She didn't know why he had the need to go and make Edmund jealous. It's not as though anything was happening between her and Kol or even between her and Edmund, despite what Edmund would like to think. She had also lost sight of her brother and found herself wandering around the festival.

"Dani!"

She turned and found Edmund walking toward her with a smile. "I told you I would talk to you later."

"That you did." Dani said.

Edmund smiled at her. "I'm surprised to not find Kol by your side."

"Oh, he's gone to find amusement for himself." Dani said. "He's gave me his word that he'll behave."

"And you trust that?" Edmund looked at her. "His word?"

"Yes." Dani looked at him. "I do. He's given me no reason not to." She sighed and shook her head. "Kol is a close friend of mine, Edmund. I trust him."

"Do you trust me?" Edmund asked.

She nodded. "Until you give me a reason not to."

Edmund nodded. It was quiet before he smiled. "I have a present for you."

"What?" Dani asked. "A present? Oh, Edmund, you shouldn't have. Really."

He handed her a velvet box. "It's simple yet elegant, like you. I got it for you in London."

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><p>She found herself alone and sitting against a tree away from the festival. She just stared at the gift that Edmund had presented to her speechless. She didn't know why he thought to buy her a gift but she didn't question him. Opening up the box she held up the simple chain in her hand.<p>

It was a silver necklace that shined in the sunshine. It was exactly like Edmund had said it was, simple yet elegant almost. Edmund had told her that she could wear it all the time since it was designed the way it was.

"Pretty."

Dani snapped her head up to find Kol standing in front of her, the necklace still in her hand.

"It was a gift, from Edmund." She said. "He got it for me in London."

"May I?" Kol asked and held out his hand.

Dani nodded and placed the necklace into his open palm.

Kol hissed and dropped the necklace from his hand. Dani jumped up from her spot and gave Kol a worried and confused look. "What?"

"Nothing." Kol shook his head, looking down at his palm and then down to the necklace on the ground. "Nothing."

"Kol?" Dani looked at him.

"What a thoughtful gift." Kol frowned at her. "I wonder where he acquired that necklace." He then turned and walked away.

Dani watched him leave before she bent down and picked up the necklace from the ground. She looked at it before she turned her eyes to Kol's retreating figure in the distance. What just happened?

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><p><strong>Oh Kol knows how to make a great first impression. ;) So what did you all think of the chapter?<strong>

**This is only the beginning. Please leave a review! :D**


	9. Just An Old Tale

**I am so glad that you are all enjoying this story! :) Thank you all for reading and reviewing. A lot happens in this chapter and I can't wait to see what you guys think.**

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><p><strong> D<strong>ANI opened the door to her father's study quietly and before entering the room fully, she peeked her head around the door to see if her father was busy. He was standing by the window looking outside with his pipe in his hand and smoking feverishly.

She shook her head at the sight and knocked on the door softly. Her father turned with his pipe in his mouth. He spotted that it was her, his eyes lit up and a broad smile appeared. "Dani, my sweet girl, come in."

"Pipe smoking again I see." Dani closed the door softly behind her.

"Your mother has banned me from smoking in every room in this house." He said and then gave his daughter a wink. "Except this one."

"What if mother caught you?" Dani asked sitting in one of the chairs.

"She would pitch a fit and demand me to stop this instance!" Mr. Wright said. He shook his head taking another puff of his pipe. "Dramatic woman! Driven me mad your mother."

Dani smiled, looking up at her father. "But you love mother, anyways."

"With every fiber of my being." Mr. Wright smiled before he sat down in the chair across from his daughter giving her a wide smile. "Before I met your mother, Dani, I was living only for me. My own happiness and then I met her. After meeting and marrying your mother I began to live for her and her happiness." He sighed. "Even if your mother is completely mad."

Dani laughed right along with her father. It was times like these that she wondered how her mother and father married. They were opposites from one another. Her father was light hearted and had a great sense of humor, who enjoyed teasing her mother. While her mother was a woman of structure and proper etiquette. She smiled as her father's eyes gleamed at the thought of her mother. She hoped that one day she would have a husband who, when talking about her, his eyes would shine just as bright.

"You did not care that your first born wasn't a son?" Dani asked. "That Christine was born instead."

Mr. Wright stared at his daughter for a moment and shook his head quickly. "No. My God, why would I be unhappy? The baby was in good health and your mother had survived. I was as happy as I could be." He stared at Dani. "Nor was I unhappy when you were born, my sweet girl."

Dani smiled. She brought her hand up to her chest and her fingers brushed against some other than skin. It was then Dani remembered that her mother had put the silver necklace, that Edmund gave to her, on. Her mother was practically beaming with happiness that he had bought her a gift from London. She, however, was not beaming. She wasn't sure what to think about the gift really.

"Is that the necklace Edmund bought you?" Mr. Wright asked.

"Mhm." Dani nodded. "Mother put it on."

Mr. Wright nodded and stood up, leaning down and looking at the silver chain. He put his pipe back into his mouth and sat back down in his chair again. "It's very nice."

"I don't know why he bought me it." Dani said truthfully. "But it was a kind gesture none the less."

"You often buy sweethearts gifts without them asking." Mr. Wright said.

Dani's eyes snapped to her father's, blushing at the idea. Edmund was a polite, young man and came from wealth but she had no desire to have him as a sweetheart. She knew that her mother was pushing her toward him though and because she was such an obeying daughter, she would marry him, if told. Her only hope was that her father persuaded her mother to think otherwise.

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><p>"And has your sweetheart bought you any gifts?" Mr. Wright raised a brow, looking at Dani.<p>

Dani stared back at him with a confused look. "Sweetheart? Don't you mean Edmund?"

"No." Mr. Wright shook his head. "I was talking about Kol. Unless, is Edmund your sweetheart?"

Dani shook her head quickly. "No."

"So Kol...?" Mr. Wright looked at her.

"No. No. No." She shook her head and thought for a moment, her cheeks growing red. "No. He's a friend. A close friend, a good friend." Dani stood from her chair and paced slowly. She shook her head. "No."

"So I take it that's a no then?" Mr. Wright smiled.

"Father." She gave him a look. "Mother thinks it's unwise that we've grown close, saying he's only after my virtue. While Christine is practically staring daggers at me. She's angry with me because Kol has spent more time with me than with her." Dani sighed and looked at him. "What's your opinion, father?"

"I've never seen you smile more than when you're with Kol, Dani." Mr. Wright said. "A father is more than happy when his daughter smiles."

She had practically searched every room of the manor trying to find him. There were only so many places that he could be. The only room she hadn't checked in was the library and she had a hunch that she would find him in there. Opening the closed door, Dani smiled, she was right. Kol was sitting at the window seat with a book opened in his hand. As if knowing that it was her, without looking up from the book, he smiled.

"Afternoon Ellie."

Dani stopped in her tracks and looked at him. "How did you know it was me?"

"I always know when it's you." Kol smirked and looked at her, his oak eyes twinkling.

She blushed and walked over joining him on the window seat. "I've searched for you everywhere."

"Everywhere?" Kol repeated and closed the book, smirking at her. "Well, you hunted me down."

"Are you joining us for tonight?" Dani asked.

"For what?" Kol asked leaning forward.

"Philip Atwood has invited us to his manor. He wishes to catch up on old times with my father." Dani said.

Kol's smirk faltered only slightly as he shook his head. "I'm afraid not, my sweet. I haven't been invited."

"So you're staying here all alone?" Dani asked.

"No." Kol shook his head. "Walter will be here. And the rest of the servants."

"Kol." Dani sighed.

"Besides, I highly doubt that Edmund would be pleased to see me." Kol smirked. "But you should enjoy yourself."

Dani didn't like the thought of him being here alone. He was being excluded from something and she felt bad for him. "You could always come."

Kol laughed. "I haven't been invited, Ellie."

"So, you could still come." Dani looked at him.

"I'm afraid that it's difficult that to enter a home that you haven't been invited into." Kol said. "Not to mention rude, and here I was thinking you a polite girl."

He grabbed the book and walked over to the book shelf putting it back in its place. Kol shook his head smirking, not having to turn around to see the frown on Ellie's face. "Ellie don't frown. I will be able to keep myself amused tonight."

"I'm worried already." Dani frowned. "How?"

"I have my ways." Kol smirked. He laughed at the worried expression on her face. "No one is going to die tonight, Ellie."

"You promise?" Dani asked.

"I promise." Kol nodded. "Trust me."

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><p>The Atwood manor was large and had been within the family for generations. When you first entered the manor you entered the foray, where a rounded table sat, and single stairs that led upstairs to the right of that. To the left was the large, spacious living area. There was a fireplace and over the fireplace was a beautiful painting of Edmund's mother, Victoria. She had passed away only a few days after Edmund's birth. Philip, like her own father, had been completely devoted to her. And to Dani's surprise, Philip never blamed his son for his love's death. And Dani respected Philip Atwood for that.<p>

Philip Atwood and her father had been friends since they were boys in school. Philip and her father had been great trouble makers in their youth and still to this day, they have no problem stirring up trouble. Unlike her father, Philip traveled a lot. He traveled all over, saying that it was all for business. He never once talked about what that business was though.

"I see that Edmund gave you his gift."

Dani looked away from the fire and looked at Philip who stood in the living area's doorway. He had dirty blonde hair and blue eyes that matched Edmund's perfectly. She brought her fingers up and brushed them against the silver chain. "Yes. It's very pretty."

"You're very easy to please, Dani." Philip said.

"So I've been told." Dani smiled. "I tend to think about the thought behind the gifts than the actual gifts themselves. It makes their value much more great."

"Couldn't agree more." Philip sat down in the chair across from hers, a drink in his right hand. "My late wife had the same exact thought as you."

Dani glanced up at the painting above the fireplace. "She was beautiful."

"Yes she was." Philip looked up the painting, staring at it lovingly. He shook a thought from his head. "She had a great interest in the supernatural. Victoria didn't fear it as most did."

"I'm curious about the supernatural but I fear it as well." Dani said.

Philip nodded and took a short sip of his alcoholic beverage staring into the fire. "Tell me, Dani, have you read Bram Stoker's, _Dracula_?"

"I haven't." Dani shook her head. "But I've read short articles on vampires."

Philip nodded. "Victoria was most fascinated by those immortal creatures the most. So alluring, so exotic."

Dani looked at him carefully as he took another sip from his drink. She looked to the doorway expecting one of her family members to enter at any moment but they didn't. Edmund had taken them on the tour of the new part of the manor. Her eyes fell back to Philip and she took a small breath.

"Have you read the book, Mr. Atwood?" Dani asked.

"Yes." Mr. Atwood said. He shook his head. "I found it to be a good read but unsatisfying."

"How so?" Dani asked.

"The vampire was wrong." Mr. Atwood looked at her. "Stroker's vampire myth was incorrect."

Dani looked at him. "What is the correct myth then?"

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><p>Mr. Atwood leaned forward in his chair, looking at Dani directly. "The wooden stake theory to the heart was correct. Vervain weakens them and in order for a vampire to enter a house they must be invited in. Vampires have heightened senses and are immortal, as you know. Vampires can also compel their victims to bend to their will,unless you're on vervain." He sighed and leaned back into his chair, taking a sip of his drink. "Of course that's not including the Originals."<p>

"Originals?" Dani looked at him.

"From which all vampires were created." Mr. Atwood raised his glass as if he were giving a toast before he downed the rest of his drink. "It's different for Originals."

"How did you learn all of this?" Dani asked.

"My wife mostly." Mr. Atwood smiled. "We both took great interest in vampires. With her love of life she was fascinated by their ability to live forever."

It was quiet for a moment. He got up and refilled his glass. "Your mother mentioned that you have become close to Mr. Mikaelson."

Dani nodded. "It's my understanding that you two have met before."

"Once." Mr. Atwood nodded and sighed. "It's seems like years ago."

Mr. Atwood turned back around and looked at Dani. He smiled at her young appearance before he sat down in his seat again. "You are young Dani. Your life hasn't even begun yet." He smiled. "Don't take your love for life granted, Dani."

As he took another long sip from his glass he stared into the fire. While Dani stared at him for a moment studying him before her eyes wandered to the painting of Victoria. She then looked back at the man across from her. To her vampires were just old tales but to him, she thought, they were more than that.

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><p><strong>What did you all think? Hate or like Philip Atwood? Review and let me know what you thought. :)<strong>


	10. The Night Before

**This chapter is dedicated to all of you who are kind enough to continue reading this story and leaving reviews. You're the reason why I love to write this story and update it quickly. I wrote this chapter at least 3 different ways before settling on this way. I hope you all enjoy it! :)**

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><p><strong> M<strong>ARCH had come and gone and now it was two days into the first week of April. It had been almost a full month since Kol arrived in Corby from London and had come to stay at Wright Manor. A week had also passed since the Atwoods had returned from their year long stay in London.

And for the past week Dani had not seen or spoken with Kol. He had been spending more time at Grey Hall ever since the Atwoods had returned. When she had gotten home later that night from talking with Philip Atwood, Maura had informed her that he was spending the evening at Grey Hall, wanting to get the feel of it. Everyone else excepted that but Dani didn't. She knew that it was a lie. If she hadn't known him any better she would say that he was avoiding her. For what reason she didn't know.

Now as she walked along the dirt path in the woods Dani couldn't help but to feel more lonely than ever. She wanted it to be like before when she enjoyed the silence and time alone with her thoughts. Not when she longing for Kol to appear from no where, scaring her like he always did, and tease her.

Her thoughts as of late had been consumed with the echoes of Philip's vampire tale that he told her and of course of Kol. She kept on thinking about what Philip told her and about vampires. Vervain burnt vampires and when Kol touched her necklace he dropped it as though it had burned him. Dani scrunched her brows together in confusion, her necklace couldn't be laced with vervain, could it? She shook her head.

"I can't believe I actually thought that." Dani said aloud to herself. "Kol isn't a vampire. Vampires don't exist."

Dani sighed and continued forward down the path. She didn't really realize that she had gotten as far as she did on the path until she looked ahead, knowing that maybe another mile or so, and she would be at Grey Hall. It made her laugh to think that this was a short cut through the woods to Grey Hall. What also amazed her was that Kol never minded walking this path at night in order to get there. Kol never minded doing anything he wanted.

Suddenly she stopped walking. Her hands began to shake as she became nervous. Would Kol not be happy to see her? Dani looked back behind her and then turned her head looking forward. Why was she so nervous to speak with him? They were friends weren't they? Actually in truth she didn't know where her feelings stood now with him.

"Dani!" Jaime's voice called out to her.

Sighing she gave one last look forward before she turned back and hurried back down the path to her younger brother. Maybe she'll go to Grey Hall later.

"Can I not just skip the ball?" Dani asked, looking at her mother.

"Why would you want to do that?" Mrs. Wright asked. "Edmund invited you, Danielle."

She sighed. "Mother, I'm tired of dances and balls. I don't feel like going really."

"Danielle, you should go." Mrs. Wright said. And then after a moment she sighed. "Perhaps Kol will be there. I know that Philip had sent an invitation for him."

Dani looked at her mother shocked. "He did?"

"Yes." Mrs. Wright nodded. "Philip sent it here but I had it sent to Grey Hall, since Kol has been spending so much time there. The renovations are almost complete."

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><p>Dani had in fact stopped listening to her mother after she heard that Philip had invited Kol to the ball at his manor. She went over to her dress closet and began to look through the different dresses that she could possibly wear tonight.<p>

The Atwood manor was lit up so that it could be seen for miles and it was crowded with people from all over, not just Corby. As Dani moved through the crowd she was searching for Kol, hoping to see him. She was also hoping to see Mr. Atwood because maybe Kol and him would finally speak to each other again. He did send Kol his invitation after all.

Dani had chosen an off white satin evening gown that brushed against the floor, trailing behind her a little with matching white court shoes with a heel. Her gown was sleeveless and sat a little off her shoulders, the neckline outlined with lace. And around her neck she wore Edmund's gift, that her mother insisted she wear. Her long light brown straight hair had been curled and then tied up in a loose bun.

Finally deciding that Kol most likely didn't except the invitation Dani sighed and gave up. As she turned she jumped back in surprise, color rising to her cheeks as she placed a hand to her fast beating heart.

Kol, dressed in formal attire, smirked down at her. His dark brown eyes were light and amused. "Looking for me?"

"No." Dani looked away from him.

Kol smirked. "Are you sure?"

"Yes." She nodded. "Not every women desires to seek you out the moment you enter the room."

He smirked and crossed his arms over his chest, raising an eyebrow in her direction. Dani sighed and looked down her cheeks growing red.

"Fine. I was looking for you." Dani admitted. "I was curious as to whether or not you would accept Philip's invitation."

"And miss the chance of being in your company?" Kol shook his head teasing. "It's like you don't know me at all, Ellie."

Dani flushed. A shock ran out her body as she looked away from him. She didn't really know him did she? More like she didn't know where they stood anymore. She didn't know when she stopped thinking of him as just a friend and developed feelings for him. Her cheeks turned redder and her heart beat sped up. Feelings? Did she just admit that to herself? When she did she get feelings for Kol?

"Ellie? Are you alright?" Kol asked looking at her.

"I...yes." She nodded. "Why?"

"Your heart is racing." Kol stated.

Dani looked up at him confused. How could he know that her heart was racing? Before she could ask him though Edmund had joined them.

"Kol." Edmund looked at him.

"Evening Edmund." Kol smirked at him before he turned back to Dani, looking at her with concern.

Edmund looked between the two of them before he coughed and offered his hand to her. "Will you join me for a dance?"

Dani looked up from the floor, avoiding Kol's gaze, and nodded. She placed her hand into Edmund's and followed him out to the ballroom dance floor. Glancing back over her shoulder for a minute, she saw Kol's eyes focused on her. He didn't even look away when he took a glass of wine from off the waiter's tray.

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><p>The violin's began to play a fast and familiar waltz tune that Dani knew. Edmund placed one hand on her waist while the other grabbed her hand gently into his. She looked up into his blue eyes and smiled gently as they began to move around the dance floor. When Edmund pushed her out and spun her, Dani quickly found Kol within the crowd, watching them intently. From then on she would steal glances to him and blush whenever their eyes connected. Edmund noticed the intense gazes between the two of them and tightened his grip on her waist a little bit.<p>

"My father said that you two had a nice talk." Edmund said.

Dani looked up at him and nodded. "We did. Your father is a good man, Edmund."

"Yes, he is." Edmund nodded and spun her out once more before pulling her back into him. "He said that you and my mother share similarities."

"I'm honored." Dani blushed. "Your father truly loved her. He said she had a great love of life."

Edmund nodded and glanced at Kol before looking back down at her. "He said he talked to you about vampires."

Dani laughed lightly. "He did. Your father did a kindness and told me the real truth behind the vampire myth."

Edmund nodded. "I see you're wearing my gift."

"Yes." Dani nodded and looked back at Kol before she looked back up to him. "Thank you again for it."

"It's a vervain necklace." Edmund smiled at her.

Dani nearly faltered in her step and she looked up at Edmund. A vervain necklace? Was her serious? Why would she need a vervain necklace?

"In might come in handy in case you ever come across vampires." He looked at her and then he looked over at Kol, his eyes hard. "They won't be able to compel you that way. It's keep you safe."

"Oh." Dani looked down and let out a shaky breath. "That's very considerate of you."

As the dance ended, Dani took a step back and curtsied and then her eyes looked to where Kol stood in the crowd. He wasn't looking at her though but rather his eyes set on Edmund in an intense glare with his jaw set. Edmund had matched his stare. And then in a menacing way, Kol raised the right side of his lip into a smirk and his eyes gleamed, as if he were challenging Edmund.

When Dani had arrived back home that night her only desire was to take a long, hot bath. Her feet were aching and her head was pounding from tonight's events. She couldn't help but to hold the necklace, that still hung around her neck, in between her fingers. A vervain necklace, an actual vervain necklace. She shook her head at the thought. She was naive but even she didn't believe in supernatural tales of immortality.

The hot water felt good on her skin and seeped through it, soothing her aching bones. She loved smelling of fresh flowers in the summer fields and feeling clean. Plus it was nice to soothe her aching mind that had been racing with thoughts.

"I have a towel for you, Miss Dani." One of the servant girls entered the bathroom.

Dani smiled. "Thank you." As she stood up in the bath and wrapped the towel around herself she looked at the servant girl, noticing something on the back of her shoulder. When she got a closer look she realized that it looked as though something had bitten her. She gasped. "Your shoulder!"

The servant girl stood and looked at her quickly. She glanced down at her shoulder and then turned back to Dani. "Oh, it is nothing."

"This nothing?" Dani moved forward and brushed her finger tips over it but the servant girl stepped back. "Are you sure it doesn't hurt?"

"Yes miss." She said and then left the bathroom quickly.

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><p>It was late at night and Dani's hair was loose and dry, hanging to her mid back. She had a light blue nightgown on with her white thin silk bath robe over that. Dani had been unable to fall asleep so she had lit a candle and had begun to pace the room, her mind racing a mile a minute. She was still wearing the vervain necklace around her neck.<p>

"Vampires are weakened by vervain. They have to be invited into a home." Dani voiced her thoughts aloud. She fingered the necklace. "At least I can burn a vampire when I come across one."

And then it hit her. It was as if a cold blast of air had blown right through her. Every thought that she had over the past week flashed through her head so quickly she thought she was going to faint. Kol's joking that he couldn't go because he hadn't been invited, Philip telling her about vampires, her vervain necklace and how Kol couldn't hold it. How Kol knew whenever her heart was beating fast and how he always appeared as if from thin air. And then the marks on the servant girl's shoulders. Bite marks.

Kol was a vampire.

She brought a hand to her mouth as she gasped breaking the silence in the room.

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><p><strong>Do I even need to ask for you guys to leave a review for this chapter? haha. :) Hopefully it wasn't horrible.<strong>


	11. Everything Changes

**Thank you for all of the positive feed back on this story! :) It means so much to me. Sorry, this chapter is a little on the short side but dramatic ;)**

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><p><em>No more dreaming of the dead as if death itself was undone<em>  
><em>No more calling like a crow for a boy, for a body in the garden<em>  
><em>No more dreaming like a girl so in love, so in love<em>  
><em>No more dreaming like a girl so in love with the wrong world<br>_-Blinding by Florence + The Machine

**T**HE ground was cold and hard against her bare feet as she walked aimlessly down the dirt path in the woods. Dani wore her light blue nightgown that was covered by her silk white bath robe which didn't cut the crisp early dawn air from sinking into her skin and into her bones. But she didn't shiver because she couldn't feel it. She was numb to feeling.

Her light brown hair that fell halfway down her back was loose and free, running wild from her running her fingers through it all night. Circles had formed under her eyes because she hadn't slept at all. How could she? Her entire world had changed.

Feeling like she was suffocating in her bedroom, Dani had made a quick escape, and was now walking in the woods alone. She was still in shock. Kol Mikaelson was a vampire. A vampire. She kept on repeating it over and over in her mind still unable to accept it.

She was going mad. Yes, Dani thought, that's it. She had lost her mind and had become mad as a hatter. Vampires didn't exist. It was impossible. After all according to her mother, and everyone else, she was just a naive young girl. She didn't know anything, with having her head lost in her daydreams and everything.

"Ellie."

Dani jumped and turned to look behind her. And there as if appearing from air, Kol stood, only a few feet away. Her didn't have a smirk on his face nor were his dark brown eyes sparkling as they usually did. He watched her carefully as she took three steps back, her hands shaking at her sides, and her honey brown eyes filling with water.

Her heart was racing and what made her even more nervous was the fact that he knew that. Dani's mouth was dry as she stood perfectly still except for her hands shaking. She was focused on keeping her breathing steady and not fainting at the mere sight of him. She didn't look away from him nor did he avert his gaze. His gaze was cutting right through her as he made no movement to approach her. He was waiting for her to make the first move. And looking into his eyes, Dani knew, Kol knew that she found out what he was. She knew his secret that he tried to keep buried within himself.

"Tell me," Dani's voice cracked and she had to take a moment to catch her breath. Tears welled up in her eyes but didn't fall. "Tell me it's not true. Tell me I've gone mad. That I've lost my mind."

It was quiet for a moment and Dani stared at him, waiting anxiously for him to say something. To say anything.

"You've gone mad." Kol states so quietly and seriously, not once looking away from her.

Tears fall down her cheeks as she lets out a hard gasp, as if she had been punched, as she shakes her head and turns. It was true, Kol was a vampire. She took a few steps before she turned and looked back at him to see him standing in the exact same place as before. Completely still with his eyes following her every move.

"You're not even going to deny it?" Dani asked in disbelief. "No witty remark?"

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><p>Kol just stares at her. His arms are hanging limp at his side and he's wearing a gray colored shirt, with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. The first two buttons are undone and he's wearing long black slacks. His dark brown hair looked as if he too had been running his fingers through the short locks all night. And his dark brown eyes remained focused on him.<p>

"Vampires aren't real." Dani shook her head. "They're just myths! To feed everyone's twisted hunger for the supernatural!" More tears came down her cheeks and she shook her head as she clenched her hands into tight fists, finally standing still.

"Are you frightened?" Kol finally speaks.

Dani looks at him. "Yes."

She could see the slight flinch he did when she answered. He didn't want her to be afraid of him. Wiping away her fallen tears with her hands, she ran a hand through her hair, and then brought her hands to her face. She took a few calming breaths before she dropped her hands back to her side.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Dani whispered looking at him.

"Would you have believed me?" Kol looked at her. "Honestly, Ellie would you? You have all the evidence right here and you're still denying it!"

"Would you have ever told me?" Dani asked. Her eyes searched his for any sign of regret or truth.

Kol shook his head. "No."

Dani shook her head and took a few steps forward but still remained her distance. She felt the sting on her face as if someone's hand had just collided with it. "Why not? Kol, it's me."

"Exactly." Kol moved closer to her.

Then to her shock, he placed his hands on either side of her face, cupping it gently as if he were holding a newborn child. She wrapped her hands around his wrists, holding her breath as she looked up at him.

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><p>"I couldn't have bared to see you look at me as though I were a monster." Kol softly said. "The way you are now."<p>

Dani pulls his hands away from her face, her cheeks red, as she looked away and walked past him quickly. But she didn't far before Kol stood in front of her again. She gasped and took a step back looking up at him.

"Ellie, please." He held her face in his hands again.

She couldn't be near him. Not right now. She felt herself tearing slowly at the seams. This was all too much for her right now.

"You're a vampire." Dani croaked out.

He leaned his forehead against hers, taking in her scent. His breath hitting her face as hers hit his lips. "I'm still me, Ellie."

Dani took deep breaths before she opened her eyes to look at him. She was silent for a moment. Their foreheads still touching each other as he cradled her face in between his hands. Finally she reached up and pulled his wrists, releasing her face from his touch.

"I need to get home before mother awakens." Dani walked past him.

This time she didn't look back and he didn't try to stop her from going but she could feel his eyes on her back as she walked. The more steps she took away from him the tighter her chest felt and the harder the tears fell. The trees begin to spin as she felt her eyes slipping closed.

But she never felt the ground.

"Dani." She felt someone's voice in the distance. "Dani." Her body shook.

Dani's eyes flew open as she sat up quickly, making her dizzy from how quick it was. She looked around her and found that she was lying in her bed and in the safety of her room. She looked down at herself and realized that she was no longer wearing her bath robe and she found that it was lying neatly on the back of the chair at her vanity table. The covers that had been pulled up to her chest were now pooled at her waist.

Maura sat beside her on the bed giving the young girl a confused look. "Dani, are you alright?"

She nodded. Looking around for a moment before she looked at Maura, nodding again. "Yes."

"It's 10:30 and you're usually up by now." Maura said. "Are you feeling well?"

"Yes." She gave her a weak smile. "I just had trouble sleeping. I'll be ready in a moment."

Maura nodded, giving her one final look, before she left Dani alone. Dani ran a hand through her hair as she took in some calming breaths. Had she dreamed everything? Throwing the covers back, Dani gasped, feeling light headed again as she saw her feet.

Her feet were covered in dirt from walking along the dirt path. It hadn't been a dream like she had hoped. It was real. Kol was a vampire and everything had changed.

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><p><strong>Hopefully you all liked it! I hope Dani's reaction to finding out Kol was a vampire realistic. Considering how I characterized her- I think it fit her pretty well.<strong>

**But leave a review and tell me what you thought about this chapter. :) **


	12. Morning After

**It's short but I promise the next one will be longer. I swear. :)**

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><p><strong> T<strong>HREE days had passed since Dani spoke with Kol and it was the longest three days of her entire life. They hadn't passed by quickly either but dragged on until Dani thought she would never see a new day until the sun began to set. Then she had to deal with not sleeping at all night. She would just lay in her bed thinking about him. She half expected Kol to just appear in her room at some point in the night but he never did. Dani wouldn't admit it but she felt a little disappointed. In a way she wanted Kol to demand her to talk to him because that would be the Kol that she knew. If he was the same Kol he would have already found his way into her room and threw himself, dramatically, onto her bed and tell her to entertain him because he's bored. But he didn't and he wouldn't. Kol was giving her space and time to figure it out. He wanted her to get over her fear of him on her own. He didn't want her to feel forced and for that Dani was grateful.

Would she ever accept him being a vampire? Yes. Dani knew she would because she was Dani. It wasn't his fault that he was vampire or at least she thought it wasn't. She didn't really know. Come to think about it, Dani didn't really know anything about Kol and who he really was. When, if, she talked to Kol again she was going to have so many questions for him.

Would she ever get over her fear of him? Not really. Though she would become comfortable around him again there would always be that thought in the back of her mind. He's a vampire and could kill her at any moment. Whenever he wanted to he could easily end her life and no one would suspect. Dani knew, depending on his age, that he had killed people. She wasn't so naive as to think he hadn't fancied human blood. The servant girl was proof enough of that. He had drank from her. She saw the bite marks. Dani wondered if the servant girl felt any pain when he did that, drank from her. Was it a quick pain, like when she would prick herself while sewing, when his teeth sunk into her skin or was it a prolonged pain?

Sighing, Dani leaned her head against the window, looking out to the forest and beyond. Her honey eyes focused on the trees as if she could see through them and right at Grey Hall. She began to wonder if Kol was somewhere looking up at her and watching. It was scary to think that he could that without her knowing.

Dani sighed. What it came down to was that she missed him. She hadn't realized how much time Kol and her spent together until he wasn't there anymore. It was as if Dani had been relocated and had to track her way back home. She was lost without him. As sad and pathetic as Dani thought it made her, Kol had become her other half.

"Dani."

"Do you ever learn something that you wish that you didn't learn?" Dani asked.

"Like what?" Maura asked, closing the bedroom door and standing with her hands folded together in front of her.

"A secret." Dani said and glanced over her shoulder to Maura. "You learned something about someone who was trying to keep it hidden from you."

Maura sat on the end of the bed and looked to the girl sitting at the window. "I guess it depends on the secret and the person."

Dani sighed and went back to looking out the window. This secret was life altering and the person meant everything to her.

"Sometimes," Maura's voice cut through her thoughts, "sometimes secrets aren't kept to protect the person themselves but rather those that they love. Sometimes keep a secret hidden is what they think is the right thing to do for those closest to them."

That was true. When she saw the broken look on Kol's face when he told her he couldn't bare for her to see him as a monster nearly broke her heart. She hadn't meant to hurt his feelings. Kol was trying to protect her from being hurt and being afraid. He didn't know how she would react when she had learned the truth or if he could trust her with it.

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><p>Suddenly Dani felt very naive and a pain of guilt shot through her body. Kol probably thought that if someone found him out to be a vampire they would call him a monster and after what happened between them she had only confirmed his fears. Dani wasn't even really mad at the fact that he didn't tell her it's just that he wasn't going to tell her. It hurt her to think that he didn't have trust in her.<p>

Besides, Dani thought, if Kol had really wanted to kill her wouldn't he have done so by now?

"Is that why you haven't talked to Kol in three days?" Maura asked.

"It's complicated, Maura." Dani said. She turned to look at her. "I did find out something about him and it was shocking. But..."

"But?" Maura urged.

"I'm not even truly that angry that he didn't tell me." Dani shook her head. "I mean I am angry but it's more than that."

She looked at Maura and sighed. "He wasn't going to tell me." She placed a hand on her chest. "Me. Here I am thinking that we're close and Kol didn't even feel as though he could trust me with the secret."

"Was it hurtful, this secret?" Maura asked.

Dani thought about it for a moment before shaking her head. "If anything he was protecting me from getting hurt."

Maura nodded. "It's up to you then, Dani. Kol is being the polite gentleman and giving you control. It's up to you to decide where you want the relationship to go from this point on. You can either hold it against him and loose him or you can forgive and mend things."

Standing up she walked over to Dani and gave her a soft smile. "If it helps any with your decision, I have never seen you more happy than when you're with him. And just by how you've been over the course of three days, imagine not having him in your life at all?"

Maura left, leaving Dani alone again with her troubling thoughts. No Kol for the rest of her life? She was miserable not seeing him for 3 days, even though she was suppose to be mad at him. Not having him at all would be absolutely torture. She imagined what Kol would do if he ever learned of that knowledge. How she couldn't go 3 days without seeing him because it made her miserable. He would probably smirk as his ego grew.

Dani shook her head at the thought. What a child he was.

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><p><strong>Could you honestly stay mad at Kol? I mean seriously.<strong>

**REVIEWS ARE LOVED! :D The more reviews I get the quicker I update. :p**


	13. Originality

**You guys are amazing! I love all of you who are always leaving reviews. :) You make me want to just update more and more. Totally off the point, I feel like doing another story but this time for Elijah because he needs some love. Should I do that? :)**

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><p><strong> IT <strong>was the last week of March and Dani made a note that it was Wednesday when she finally decided that she was going to go to Grey Hall, using the dirt path shortcut through the woods behind the manor. She had never been more nervous in her life as she trudged down the path. She was wearing black boots that laced up the front and a light blue blouse matched with a long gray colored skirt that moved easily with her. Dani had been so anxious about going to see Kol that she had forgotten to grab her jacket and just basically ran through the kitchen and out the back door before anyone could question her.

What was she to say to Kol? She wanted to say so many things to him she just didn't know what or how to go about saying them. Dani was never good at this. If she was more like her sister than she would have something clever to say to him but she wasn't and she didn't.

"Get a hold of yourself Dani." She shook her head speaking to herself aloud. "This is Kol. Kol. Kol the vampire." She shook her head again. "No, no. Kol your friend. A close friend."

She nodded liking the sound of that. "A close friend who just happens to be a vampire." She groaned and closed her eyes, putting her hands to her face, walking blindly down the path. "Oh this is a disaster."

Dani had questions that she wanted to ask but she didn't want to be a bother to him. She was afraid that she would ask the wrong question and bring up a painful memory from his past or something. But she had so many questions that she needed answers to. Hopefully Kol would be willing to answer them. Why wouldn't he, she thought, Kol gets to talk about himself. He loves when he's the topic of conversation for crying out loud.

Then the dirt path came to an opening and Dani came to a sudden halt. Before her, only a few feet away, was a long aged stone wall with a little gate before the stone wall continued on, lining the edge of the property. And then there was Grey Hall. It was a massive and beautiful estate. It was also the residence of Kol Mikaelson. Dani could only think on how many women would kill to be at his estate.

Grey Hall, ironically, wasn't gray at all. Kol during the renovations had ordered for the outside to be repainted and he had decided to go with a dark blue color. Grey Hall had two stories plus an attic with a large field behind it. Dani couldn't help but to stare at it in awe wondering what the inside could possibly look like. Kol had done such a fine job with the renovations that you wouldn't be able to tell that Grey Hall had been emptied for years. Well from the outside at least.

Taking a deep breath Dani opened the small, iron gate and walked through. The path leading to the front door of Grey Hall was made of cobble stoned and looking straight ahead she realized there was a large balcony just over the top of the door. How did she not notice that? The view from there must be spectacular. Before she reached the bottom of the steps that led to the porch than the front door, Dani stopped and looked up at the balcony before turning and walking away.

She shook her head stopping again. She had to talk to Kol. She had made it all the way here. So she turned and began to walk back before stopping again. Dani sighed and placed her hands together trying to stop them from trembling. This was ridiculous. She could picture Kol standing somewhere, looking out of a window and laughing at her.

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><p>"Miss."<p>

Dani's pacing came to halt as she looked up startled. Walter, looking kind, stood on the porch with his hands by his side, offering her a polite smile. "Good afternoon Miss."

"Afternoon Walter." Dani smiled.

"Mr. Mikaelson says that since he doesn't believe that you would make it to the porch, let alone the front door, that I am to show you in." Walter said. "When you're done pacing."

Dani stared at him her cheeks going red. She knew that Kol had been watching her. She felt eyes on her but thought she was just being paranoid.

She swallowed. "Well I'm done... pacing. I can go in n-now." She looked at Walter with her cheeks burning and a small smile on her face.

Walter nodded and turned, opening one of the doors that led inside, before turning back to Dani and motioned her in first. She passed by him, giving him another smile, before she gaped at the sight before her.

It was amazing. The foray was spacious with a double sided grand staircase. To the left of her was a large ballroom with a high ceiling and to the the right of her was another large room, a sitting room she presumed. She spun around slowly trying to take everything in, completely stunned.

When she came to face forward again her heart began to race a little. At the top of the staircase, leaning casually over the railing, was Kol. He had his arms resting over the edge of the railing with his hands clasped together. His dark brown eyes were gleaming and a smirk was tugging at his lips. When their eyes met Dani could feel her cheeks becoming warm and saw the smirk on his lips become a little wider. As he slowly descended the stairs, his eyes never left hers for a moment, afraid that maybe if he turned away she wouldn't be there. Finally he had reached the bottom of the stairs and was standing before her.

Dani's heart was racing and she blushed even more because Kol certainly knew that.

"Hello Ellie." Kol said softly before taking her left hand into his, bringing her knuckles to his lips, without his eyes leaving hers. This made her blush all the more, feeling his lips brush against her skin.

"Kol." She said softly.

He put his hands into his trouser pockets and gave her a smirk. "I didn't think you would make it inside. You were pacing back and forth so much I thought I was going to have to send Walter outside to you with a plate of food and a glass of water."

Dani's cheeks turned redder and she shook her head. "I was admiring Grey Hall."

"Yes, why wouldn't you?" Kol said. "I mean those cobble stones are genius."

She sighed and rolled her eyes at his teasing. This was the Kol she knew and had come to care for. Arrogant and playful Kol.

"Come, I'll give you the grand tour." Kol placed a hand on her lower backside leading her out of the foray and into the sitting room.

Connected to the sitting room was another room with a fireplace and then you turned left into a short hallway that connected you the dining room. Beside the dining room was a small bedroom and then the kitchen and then two double doors that opened into the ballroom. Of course Dani wasn't paying attention at all during the tour because she was too busy being lost in her thoughts.

"Kol." She stopped walking in the middle of the ballroom and looked at him. "Can we talk, please?"

Kol nodded. "Of course."

Dani followed behind him up the stairs before moving down the hallway to the right until they came to a room at the end of the hallway. It had a small polished wooden table in it with a fireplace to the right against the wall. There was a door that led out to a balcony that over looked the field in the back.

"Please sit." Kol motioned with his hand to one of the chairs at the small table.

She took the seat, placing her hands in her lap, as she looked around the room. Kol was standing at a table in the corner of the room, making himself a drink. Dani had never had alcohol before and she was wondering if she was going to need a drink.

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><p>"So you're a vampire." Dani said.<p>

"Yes." Kol nodded. "An original vampire."

"Yes. An original...what?" Dani's head snapped to him.

Kol turned to look at her, an innocent look upon his face. "Didn't I mention that?"

Dani shook her head quickly. "Oh." Kol shrugged. "Well, I'm an original."

Before she knew what she was doing, Dani had gotten up from her seat and walked over to Kol. Taking the drink from his hand she quickly brought it to her lips and downed the liquid, her throat burning as the alcohol moved down her throat.

Kol just smirked as he watched her.

When Dani had finished she began to cough, putting a hand to her throat as she tried to regain her breath. She was never having a drink like that again.

"You're one of the original vampires?" Dani looked at him.

"One of the first." Kol winked.

"I'm not really surprised by that." Dani said, making her way back to her seat at the table. "With your attitude the way it is. Of course you're an original vampire." She looked at him. "Only an original could have an ego like yours, Kol Mikaelson."

Kol smirked as he made his way over to the table sitting in a seat beside her own. This makes Dani laugh a little before she looks down at her hands in her lap. Surprisingly Kol was making this very easy on her. She felt comfortable enough but she also hadn't asked any questions yet. She didn't know where to start.

"You have questions." Kol stated.

"No." Dani shook her head, looking down at her hands.

Kol laughed. "Ellie, I can see the words forming in your mouth right now. Just ask them."

"I don't want to upset you or annoy you." Dani looked at him.

"Ellie, you could never do either one of those things." Kol said. "Except if you don't ask the questions that are bothering you so."

"What are original vampires?" Dani asked.

"We're the first vampires to ever be created." Kol said. "We're the oldest and strongest vampires in the world. From us is how other vampires came to be."

Dani nodded. "And what can you do exactly?" She looked at him. "What are some of your abilities?"

"All of our senses are heightened." Kol said. "We're faster, stronger and more agile than any other vampire. We can also take more trauma than other vampires can take." He looked at her. "We heal faster then they do. When I touched your vervain necklace, my burn on my palm healed more quickly than it would have for other vampires."

"And compulsion?" Dani asked.

Kol nodded. "We can do that to humans and other supernatural creatures. Walter is under my compulsion."

"What?" She looked at him.

Kol nodded. "It's not a serious compulsion. I've only compelled him to keep my secret as a vampire. That's all."

Dani shook her head. Bringing her fingers to her neck she felt the silver chain and looked at him. "And vervain? You can't compel someone when they have vervain, correct?"

"Yes." Kol nodded. "Vervain burns us, like a poison almost. We originals can always detect when someone is on vervain though." He gave her a wink.

She ran a hand over her face as she looked at him. "Have you ever compelled me before?"

"No." Kol shook his head, looking directly at her. "I'll never compel you, Ellie. Believe me on that."

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><p>Dani nodded giving him a small smile. Though he said that he would never compel her, she still couldn't take the vervain necklace off although a part of her wanted to. She ran her fingers over the necklace and he noticed.<p>

"I'm not going to ask you to take off the necklace, Ellie." Kol said. "It's your choice. I'm not offended by it."

She nodded and offered him another smile before she leaned back into her chair. She sighed and looked down at the top of the table. She felt a little better getting her questions answered. "So besides immortality, what's another original ability?"

"Dream manipulation." Kol said. "Vampires can produce and modify dreams to how they wish." He smirked looking at her. "I could make you dream about me."

"You wouldn't!" Dani gasped.

"No because I know that you do that on your own." Kol smirked.

Dani's face burned and she shook her head. "What I dream about is none of your business Kol Mikaelson. It's inappropriate to be even discussing it."

Kol laughed as he took a sip of his drink and he looked at her with his twinkling dark brown eyes. It was quiet for a few minutes with Dani sorting through all of new information she had gathered.

"Before you ask, I was a human during the 10th century before I was changed into a vampire." Kol said.

Dani's eyes went wide. "That's over a 1000 years ago!"

"I know. I look handsome for my age." Kol winked.

"You've been... existing for over a 1000 years?" Dani gasped.

Kol nodded and she knelt forward in her seat. She was in awe of the man in front of her. He was a vampire over 1000 years old and yet he held such a playful air about him. He didn't seem like he minded being a vampire and she couldn't help but to wonder if he had just grown accustom to this life style. She couldn't imagine being over a thousand years old.

"You must be lonely sometimes being around for that amount of time." Dani said.

"You get use to it." Kol shrugged. "Find ways to amuse yourself."

Dani looked at him and saw the look in his eyes as he stared down into the empty glass. It was a longing look as if he were thinking back to a time long ago. Perhaps he was thinking of his family when he was human or maybe of the time spent so far as a vampire.

"Kol." Dani said and their eyes met. "I'm so sorry for how I acted. My reaction." She shook her head. "You're not a monster, not to me. I didn't mean to look at you... I was in shock." Her eyes met his again. "I'm sorry for hurting you."

For a moment Kol gave her a genuine smile. He had already forgiven her about it the moment it happened. But him being him, Kol's smile turned into a smirk.

"You hurt me deeply, Ellie." Kol put the empty glass on the table. "But I know how you could make me feel better."

"How?" Dani asked.

"A kiss." Kol smirked as he leaned forward, his arms resting on his knees, giving her an innocent look. "It's the least you can do."

She shook her head her face burning. She had expected nothing less from the playful vampire sitting beside her facing her.

He laughed and shook his head. "Still my sweet Ellie." He reached forward and brought her right hand to his mouth, kissing her knuckles. Except this time he didn't let go of her hand and kept it in his.

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><p><strong>So how'd you guys like this chapter? It was an entire chapter of just KolDani. :D**

**Reviews = LOVE**


	14. Until We Bleed

**Thank you everyone for the reviews! I'm so happy that you kinds are still loving this story. :) And it's only one more day until a new episode of 'The Vampire Diaries' *does happy dance.* But anyways this chapter is sort of a little treat to those who review. ;) Enjoy!**

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><p><strong> M<strong>RS. Wright stood upright in perfect posture. Her black skirt fell to the floor the hem of it brushing it ever so lightly and she wore a white blouse which covered her neck modestly. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a loose bun on top of her head not a hair out of place. She stood in the kitchen looking out the window with concern shining in her honey colored eyes.

"Eleanor." Mr. Wright walked into the kitchen. "Come away from the window."

"I don't understand. They weren't talking for days and now here they are." Mrs. Wright hadn't moved from her spot and continued watching her daughter and Kol in the backyard. "Closer than ever."

"They just had a lover's quarrel. Nothing to worry about." Mr. Wright shrugged and walked over to stand beside his wife.

Mr. Wright couldn't help but to smile as he watched Dani outside with Kol. Her honey colored eyes were shining in the spring sun and her smile was so big that the corner of her eyes crinkled. Kol was laying back on the grass, resting upon his elbows, as he smiled and watched as Dani ran around after a butterfly.

"She's bare footed again." Mrs. Wright sighed.

Mr. Wright snorted out a laugh as his wife missed the lover's quarrel comment he just made and continued to watch the young people. "I don't believe he's looking at her feet, my love."

"Albert, please. Aren't you just the least bit concerned about this?" Mrs. Wright sighed and looked at her husband. "They've grown so close in the shortest amount of time."

"Eleanor, you worry so." Mr. Wright kissed his wife's cheek before he turned and walked out of the kitchen.

His wife sighed and watched Dani and Kol for a little bit longer. Kol continued to watch Dani for a few more seconds before he sprang up and chased after Dani, scaring her a little, as he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind before he picked her up and spun her around. Mrs. Wright shook her head as she turned and rushed after her husband.

"Albert!" She called to him as she finally found him, upstairs in his study at his desk. "I have every right to worry."

Mr. Wright sat back in his chair and looked up at his wife smiling. "Why?"

"It's Danielle!" Mrs. Wright said. "This is not Christine we're talking about, Albert. Danielle is so much more sensitive than Christine is. She's so meek and quiet."

"Are you calling her weak?" Mr. Wright looked up at her.

"No." Mrs. Wright shook her head and began to pace back and forth. "Danielle gets hurt more easily and believe me, she will get hurt. Or someone else will."

"Eleanor, first love is suppose to hurt." Mr. Wright said. "First love is suppose to be as painful as it is blissful. It's what makes first love so beautiful."

"First love?" Mrs. Wright gasped and looked at her husband with shocked eyes. "You think she's in love?"

"Don't you?" Mr. Wright asked.

"Danielle is not yet 17!" Mrs. Wright pointed out. "It's so soon!"

"That's the point." Mr. Wright said. "Dani is young and that's when first love is suppose to happen. It's completely natural." He sat up in his chair and looked at his wife. "I wouldn't worry, my love, because I highly doubt that Dani even realizes she's in love yet."

Mrs. Wright shook her head, rubbing her forehead with her hand. "I'm just worried for her, Albert. I just don't want to see him hurt her. She's become so attached to him."

"I trust our daughter, my love." Mr. Wright smiled. "She has a good judge in character and I trust Kol. I don't believe he'll hurt our daughter and if he does it'll be completely unintentional."

Mrs. Wright sighed. "He was suppose to be with Christine."

Mr. Wright looked up at his wife. He studied her carefully for a moment. "He fell in love with Dani instead. Are you willing to break your daughter's heart because its expected for the eldest daughter to be out in society first?"

"No." Mrs. Wright said. "I would never do that. I'm just worried that Danielle will get hurt. I just don't want her to get hurt."

"My love, everything is going to be fine." Mr. Wright reach across the desk and kissed his wife's hand. "Dani isn't as fragile as you think."

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><p>The sun was shining through the top of the trees as Dani and Kol walked together in the woods enjoying each others company. Dani stepped over a fallen log and looked back at Kol.<p>

"How can you walk out in daylight?" She asked.

He held up his right hand where a simple yet elegant faded golden banded ring sat on his middle finger. "My mother had a spell placed on it so as long as we wear it, we can be out in the sun."

It still amazed Dani that something as simple as a ring could hold so much power over someone. If Kol lost that ring then he wouldn't be able to walk out in the sun at all. She couldn't imagine not being able to feel the sun on her skin and be forever in the dark.

"Your mother was a witch?" Dani looked at him as she walked over to a large rock and sat down upon it.

"Yes." Kol stood in front of her, snapping a twig in between his fingers. "She was the original witch. She was the one who created the spell to change my siblings and I into vampires."

Dani nodded, her arms laying on her knees that were pulled up to her chest tightly. She watched Kol as his demur changed when he spoke of his past. It was nice to listen to him talk about his mother, his family. It just proved to her that although he's been a vampire for over a 1000 years there was still some humanity left inside of him.

"My mother was very caring." Kol said. "She loved all of us. My father on the other hand was a force to be reckoned with." He sighed as he sat down beside her on the rock, his arm brushing against her own. "He was not an easy man to get on with."

Dani nodded. She could relate to him on that level, having two polar opposites for parents. Her father was the easiest person to ever get along with. She got along better with her father because he was most like her personality wise. Her mother, on the other hand, was not so easy to get along with.

"It's not hard to please my father." Dani smiled and glanced at Kol. "My father is the most easiest man to make happy. He would do anything for anyone of us and he loves my mother unconditionally. He's not dramatic and always remains calm."

Kol nodded. "Yes, he is."

"My mother." Dani sighed shaking her head, as she picked up a stick and threw it away from them. "My mother."

Kol smirked. "Your mother is lovely."

"Don't tease, Kol." Dani shook her head, her smile disappearing. "Christine can relate to my mother. I can't do that. My mother is always scolding me for something or always telling me I should act. I feel as though no matter how hard I try, she will never be pleased. I can't please her."

"Well, I can't speak for your mother, but," Kol looked at her, "I am very pleased with you Ellie."

Dani smiles as a blush appears on her cheeks. Kol laughs gently, her blushing will never get old. Then he stood up and kicked a rock before he turned back at her a smirk on his lips. "I remember the first time I saw you. It was at the welcoming ball when I first arrived."

"You noticed me?" Dani was shocked.

"Oh yes." Kol smirked. "How could I not? You stood in the corner away from everyone else. You looked as though you wanted to be anywhere else."

"I hate crowds." Dani interjected.

Kol laughed and shook his head. "You were glowing, my sweet Ellie. I was drawn into your glow of innocence like a moth is to a flame. In all of the centuries that had passed and gone, I hadn't seen pureness like yours in a long time."

Dani's heart was beating erratically and her face was flushed as she listened to Kol's seductive voice describe to her what he saw that night when he first saw her. How was this even possible? She had no idea that he noticed her that night, let alone anyone else. Her mind then flashed to another thought.

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><p>She looked up at him. "Does it hurt, when vampires feed on a human?"<p>

"What?" He looked at her.

"When vampires feed on humans, do the humans feel any pain?" Dani asked.

His eyes were suddenly focused directly on hers. He was looking at her very seriously and Dani couldn't help but to get a little nervous. "Do you trust me?" He asked quietly.

"Yes." Dani answered easily. With her life.

He approached her very slowly as if he were stalking a prey. His eyes never left hers and she didn't dare to look away. Anyone who had been watching could have seen the electric sparks flowing between them. Dani's heart was racing and her face was red.

When Dani reached her, he was standing over her, looking down at her. Both his hands appeared on her face, cupping them gently before he began to slide them down. His hands avoided the vervain necklace on her neck, as he ran his hands over her shoulders and then down her arms before he came to her hands. His fingers brushed against her bare skin on her wrist that had slipped out from under sleeve.

She stared at him completely lost in his eyes and the sensations that were tingling through her arms from his touch. And then he knelt before her on the balls of his feet, his eyes still attached to hers. She saw them gleam for a moment as she gasped, as he brought her forefinger on her right hand to his lips.

His lips brushed the tip of her finger ever so lightly. Dani's face was fire by this point and her lips parted at the shock when he suddenly sunk his fangs into her finger. She gasped and jumped a little but her finger remained in his mouth.

She felt pain for only a minute before it was gone. All she felt now was the blood rushing from her finger into his mouth, the feel of his teeth on her skin. Her eyes closed as she tried to control her breathing and the beating of her heart. Dani couldn't describe the feeling that she had in this moment.

But as suddenly as he had begun to drink from her he stopped. Her eyes shot opened as she looked at Kol, confused as to why he stopped. Kol had remained crouched but he was rigid and his head was turned to the side slightly as his eyes were focused on the ground. It was if he were listening for something, for someone. It was as if he could sense someone was there and she looked around, scanning the woods for anyone.

"Kol?" She looked at him.

"We better get back." Kol said seriously. "I do believe your mother is calling for you."

The look he gave her was silently telling her not to question him and to just listen. She nodded and stood up following after him as they began to make their way back to the manor. Dani kept on looking around, expecting someone to appear from the trees.

"Did you feel any pain?" Kol asked.

Dani blushed and shook her head. She still couldn't speak about how he had feed from her finger. She was still trying to calm her racing heart. It was such an improper thing that had conspired between them. He had fed from her and they hadn't even kissed yet. Dani shook the thought from her head.

"You taste delicious by the way." Kol smirked at her, giving her a wink.

Dani blushed and refused to look at him. She couldn't. But she didn't need to look at him to know that the smirk remained on his face the entire time.

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><p><strong>Okay, they didn't kiss but he did drink from her finger. haha. :) I totally get cookies for that right?<strong>

**Please review! :) I love them. If I get a lot I may even add another chapter up today ;)**


	15. Cruel Intentions

**So here's a drama filled chapter for you guys. I'm so proud that I got another chapter up in the same day. I'm thinking that there's only a few more chapters left to this story. (: Thank you so much for all of the reviews and alerts! You guys are awesome.**

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><p><strong> D<strong>ANI was laying on her bed with a ridiculous smile on her face as she thought about Kol and his sweet perfection. While lying on her back she held her forefinger up and imagined his lips brushing against the tip of it yet again. It was a sensation that she was willing to feel all over again. It was if a thousand butterflies were set loose in her stomach and had begun fluttering around freely. And her face burned as if hot coals had been placed on it directly. The pain, when he first bit into her finger, was quick like a prick from a needle. She could feel the blood rush forth from her finger into his mouth and she didn't really know what it felt like but it wasn't painful. It was soothing having him drink from her.

Dani brought her hands down to her neck and rubbed either side of it. If she got a feeling like that just from him drinking from her finger than she could only imagine what it would be like if he drank from her neck. Not that she would ever allow him to do that. She wasn't sure that she would be comfortable with that. Though she had grown more confident since she had met Kol she was still the meek girl she was before he came. And the meek girl would not let an original vampire, no matter how she cared for him, drink from her neck.

"Dani," Maura appeared in her room. "Mr. Edmund is here to see you."

Edmund? She sat up and followed Maura out of the room and stood at the top of the stairs, looking down at Edmund who looked very irritated. He was standing perfectly still in the foray and looked up when he sensed her standing there.

"Dani, I was wondering if you'd accompany me on a walk?" Edmund asked her.

She nodded and descended down the stairs and looked to her right to see her mother standing from the couch in the sitting room. Mrs. Wright gave her daughter a confused expression which Dani simply mirrored. She had no idea why Edmund was here but she sensed it was of great importance.

Ironically her and Edmund had taken to walking down the dirt path in the woods but she remained silent on the fact that her and Kol had practically walked this path every day with one another. She had a feeling Edmund would not appreciate hearing that.

"How have you been?" Dani asked her voice soft.

"I've been well," Edmund answered. "Though I must confess that I've heard some news that's been troubling me so."

"Oh?" Dani looked at him. "What is it?"

"Are you still friends with Kol Mikaelson?" Edmund asked, stopping suddenly.

Dani stopped as well her honey brown eyes filled with confusion and her cheeks flushed. "Yes. We are. Why?"

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><p>Edmund scoffed and shook his head. He looked around the woods before he looked back to her, shaking his head yet again. "You still remain friends with him although you know he's a vampire?"<p>

"W-what?" Dani gasped.

"Don't be naive Dani." Edmund shook his head. "I know all about vampires and the supernatural."

Dani took a step back. Edmund knew about vampires. He knew about Kol being one. How? Looking back at him she realized. "You're a hunter."

"Yes." Edmund answered.

"So your father..."

"No." Edmund shook his head. "He was never a hunter because he made a promise to my mother. It's complicated."

Dani shook her head. Edmund Atwood was a vampire hunter. Why did that shock her more than Kol being an original vampire? She took another step back shaking her head.

"He's dangerous Dani! How can you be friends with him?" He asked.

"He won't hurt me." Dani said.

"He's a vampire! An original vampire!" Edmund shouted.

Dani jumped back at his voice. "And you're a hunter, Edmund! You're just as dangerous."

"Don't you compare me to him." Edmund pointed a finger at her. "Don't you dare."

She was shaking with anger because of Edmund accusing Kol of such things. He hated him because he was a vampire. That was all. Kol hadn't hurt her in any way and he very easily could have. Moving her eyes to behind Edmund, over his shoulder, she sighed at Kol standing there. She didn't notice that he had shown up but she figured with his vampire hearing that he had heard all the shouting.

"Kol." Dani said.

Edmund spun on his heels and stared at the original vampire standing a few feet away from him. Kol gave him a careful smirk. "Afternoon Edmund."

Edmund glared at him and then turned back to her. "You can't honestly trust him? Do you?"

"I do." Dani said.

Edmund took a step forward. "Then why do you wear the necklace I gave you? The vervain necklace. If you trusted him, as you so claim to do, then you wouldn't need it on."

Dani brought her hand up to the necklace around her neck and her cheeks began to flush. "It doesn't mean anything."

"Yes it does." Edmund got closer to her. "You know, deep inside, you know that you can't trust him because of what he is. You know that Dani!"

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><p>Dani was uncomfortable and she brought a shaking hand to her chest, feeling the beat of her heart about ready to jump through. She shook her head at him and looked down to the ground. Kol sensed her discomfort.<p>

"You need to remove yourself from her personal space, sir." Kol said.

Edmund turned to look at the vampire. "Don't tell me what to vampire. I don't take orders from you."

"If you weren't on vervain, I'd make you take my orders." Kol smirked staring right at him. "Now remove yourself."

"And leave Dani?" Edmund shook his head. "Never."

Kol took a step forward, standing tall, and a smirk on his face. "Is that a challenge?"

"Kol, don't." Dani said moving to stand off the side instead of standing behind Edmund. She looked at him, pleading with her eyes for him not to harm Edmund. He didn't need to do that.

Edmund watched the exchange between the two. He watched as they stared into each others eyes as if they were the only two in the whole world. He could see the bond that they had formed between one another. But to his shock and rage he could see the deep feelings that Dani held for the vampire. She was in love with him.

"You love him." Edmund looked at Dani, his voice amazed.

Dani's face turned red as she looked away from Kol and looked at Edmund. No, she wasn't in love with him. She couldn't be. How could he know something like that when she was so unsure of it herself. Was she in love with him? She didn't know. Dani didn't know what love felt like. But she said nothing to him. She didn't deny it.

When she looked back up into Kol's eyes she admitted the truth. Kol saw. Edmund saw. Dani was in love with Kol. And Kol's smirk got a little bigger when he turned his attention back to Edmund, as if to say he had won and Edmund had lost.

Edmund shook his head in disbelief. "You love him?" He pointed to Kol. "Him? A bloody vampire! Are you that naive, Dani?"

Dani didn't look at him but rather at Kol. Her eyes had begun to water and her cheeks were flushed. She was at a lost for words at the moment and even if she wasn't, Dani wouldn't dare speak.

"He's murdered, Dani!" Edmund snapped. "He murdered my own mother!"

Dani's head snapped up and she looked at Edmund in shock. Kol who had stood silent let out a low growl. Looking at Edmund directly he spoke softly. "I did not kill your mother."

She looked over to Kol and saw the look in his eyes. She wasn't in denial because she had known that Kol had certainly murdered people. But she could tell by the look in Kol's eyes that he didn't kill his mother. She could see, to her shock, a flash of pain cross over his face at Edmund's accusation. He was hurt to be thought of killing Victoria? Dani was a little curious.

"Your mother died due to complications." Dani looked at Edmund. "Three days after you were born."

"You're siding with him?" Edmund asked.

Dani nodded slowly. "Yes. I believe him, Edmund."

Edmund saw red. No one had expected it not even Kol.

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><p>Out of jealousy, Edmund threw a small container filled with water spiked with vervain into Kol's face. Kol growled at the burning on his face before his it stopped a few minutes later. Dani gasped as Kol's eyes turned red and the veins under his eyes appeared as he lunged himself at Edmund.<p>

It had happened so quickly and before she knew it, Kol had Edmund on the ground about ready to kill him. Dani rushed forward, calling to Kol, and tried to pull him away from him. But Kol was in a fit of rage and before Dani could do anything, he had his hand gripped tightly around her throat.

Dani placed her hands onto his arm as she tried to get in fresh air. It took Kol a few minutes to realize what he was doing and he literally threw himself away from her. She dropped to the forest floor, a hand around her throat, as she took in raspy breaths. Kol watched her before he turned and disappeared from sight.

She wanted to go to him. She wanted to tell him that it wasn't his fault but she didn't. She sat there on the forest floor regaining her breath as tears rolled down her cheeks.

"You see." Edmund looked at her. "A dangerous creature incapable of feelings."

It was later that night when Dani stared at her reflection in the mirror on her vanity table. Her neck was bruised from Kol having such a death grip on her neck that she was lucky that he hadn't snapped it. She knew that Kol hadn't meant it. Edmund had provoked him and she couldn't even believe that he done that.

Thinking back to what Edmund had said about the necklace, Dani reached up, and ripped the vervain necklace from around her neck and threw it onto the vanity table in disgust.

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><p><strong>So what did you guys think? I'm sorry if this was a lame chapter. :**

**Reviews = :D**


	16. Just Kol

**Yeah... just enjoy this wonderful chapter. I think you all will love it (hopefully). ;) I thought it was pretty good considering it was written at 3:30 in the morning. So my apologies for any mistakes I do not catch.**

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><p><strong> J<strong>UST as Dani had predicted her neck was extremely sore and it hurt her to move it and to even swallow but she endured it. She wore a blouse that had a high neck, keep Kol's marks hidden from her family's eyes. Her mother knew something happened yesterday but she didn't know what. Dani didn't want to talk about it. All she told her mother and Christine was that Edmund and Kol had gotten into a fight and that was that. She also made it very clear that Edmund was the one who started the fight. He went looking for trouble. And Dani clearly thought that Edmund deserved every bruise that Kol had given him for it. It seemed only fair considering he had thrown vervain water in his face, burning him. She really hadn't been expecting that.

"Where are you going?" Mrs. Wright watched as her daughter descended down the stairs quickly.

Dani stopped on the bottom stair and looked at her mother who had a look of disapproval on her face. "For a walk on the path, as I usually do, mother."

"You're going to see him." Mrs. Wright said.

"Mother, please." Dani sighed.

"Danielle, this is exactly why I was worried about you becoming involved with him." Mrs. Wright shook her head.

"But of course if he had become involved with Christine he would have been a gentleman defending her honor." Dani frowned. "But since it's me, he's just a trouble maker. Kol is already blaming himself enough as it is, mother, he doesn't need yours." She walked past her mother and out the front door, slamming it shut behind her.

Dani had been worried about Kol all night wondering what he was doing. She knew that Kol was most likely beating himself up for nearly suffocating her but it wasn't his fault. He didn't mean to attack her he just did. She hated that Edmund was there to see him attack her because that only fed into his evidence against Kol being a dangerous creature. Considering that Edmund was a vampire hunter he wasn't exactly an innocent human bystander either. She also knew that Kol was going to want to see her neck and when he saw the bruises upon her skin he was going to despise himself. Dani was not going to let him pull away or put up a wall. It was not happening.

She just hoped that his emotions didn't get the best of him and he went out on a killing spree or something. Dani wondered how Grey Hall was holding up. Maybe he returned home and just threw things around. Walter. Oh she hoped Walter wasn't attacked in Kol's rage. He was Kol's only friend, although he was under his compulsion but a friend none the less.

But wasn't the only thing she was worried about. Thanks to Edmund, Dani's love for Kol had been discovered. She didn't even want to admit it to herself that she was in love with Kol until the other day. But she couldn't deny it when Edmund had pointed it out. The moment the words came from his mouth Dani knew it within herself, she truly did love Kol. Since she had never been in love before she didn't know that that was what she was feeling. Kol was her first love.

She blushed at the thought as she continued on her journey down the dirt path. As if first love wasn't complicated enough, hers just happened to be an original vampire. Only she could fall in love with an original vampire. Kol just made her feel alive, as cliché as it sounded. He pushed her out of her comfort zone and no one had done that before. He didn't treat her as a young, naive girl who couldn't make her own decisions. Kol was a breath of fresh air for Dani. He had came in with the spring, their love for each other blooming as the season went on. Despite Kol being incredibly annoying and childish at times he was also sweet and considerate. Though he had once told Dani that he had turned off his human emotions long ago she could see them resurfacing. Dani could read and understand Kol just as much as he could read and understand her. Kol was not one for admitting his feelings out right and Dani wasn't as open with her feelings either. But they both could always understand the others feelings just by looking into each others eyes, again cliché, but that's what Dani felt. She loved how he had his own nick name for her, Ellie, taking possession of it. He wasn't controlling her he was just letting others know where he stood with her and Dani couldn't help but to love being wanted like that. Kol wasn't ashamed to let people know that he was interested in her. Just as Ellie was his own nickname for her, she was his alone too. And she prayed to God he knew that.

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><p>It was as if Kol had been expecting her to show up at Grey Hall because as she approached it she found Walter, awaiting her arrival on the porch. He could probably hear her heart beating fast as she made her way down the dirt path.<p>

"Good day, Walter." Dani said. She looked up at the balcony, expecting him to just appear standing there, before she looked back to the man in front of her.

"Kol doesn't want to see you now, Miss Dani." Walter said, a hint of sadness in his voice. "He's asked me to tell you to leave."

She was expecting this. Sighing she looked back to Grey Hall, staring at every window trying to see if he was peering out of one. When she couldn't spot him she shook her head and sighed. "Walter, please."

"I'm sorry Miss Dani." Walter shook his head. "He was very adamant."

Looking at Walter she gives him a sad but understanding smile. Walter was only doing as Kol asked and he wasn't to be at fault. He was only the messenger but it still didn't make Dani any happier. She knew Kol was beating himself up over this but she needed to see him face to face.

Taking a step back she looked up at Grey Hall. "This is ridiculous Kol." She said, knowing that with his vampire hearing, he could hear her perfectly. "I'm not angry with you at all. I don't blame you at all, Kol. Edmund provoked you and you were only defending yourself." Dani said. "It wasn't your fault, Kol. You weren't thinking clearly. And I'm not forgiving you because there's nothing to be forgiven. You did nothing wrong." She looked at Walter who gave her a small smile. She gave him a polite nod before she turned and begin a long walk home to the manor.

If Dani hadn't been so lost in her thoughts about Kol, she would have noticed or at least felt eyes upon her, watching her through the trees. But since she was thinking about Kol she didn't notice.

How long was he going to ignore her for, she wondered as she walked slowly down the dirt path. Hopefully he wasn't going to do the same thing she did and not talk to her for three days or more because that would just be torture. It'd make her feel more awful than she did already. She shouldn't have walked with Edmund on this stupid path.

"Ellie."

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><p>She turned around and found Kol standing there, looking miserable. He wasn't wearing his signature smirk and his dark brown eyes were completely dull. There wasn't a spark or twinkle there at all. Dani's heart broke a little at the sight of him in front of her like this, looking so lost and ashamed.<p>

"Oh Kol." She sighed softly.

Kol, she noticed, stared at her neck that was covered. His hands clenched at his sides before he shook his head quickly and looked away. "Edmund's right. Everything he said, Ellie, was right." He looked at her. "I'm too dangerous for you to be around."

"What?" Dani asked.

"Edmund's views on me." Kol said. "The bloody bastard is right."

It was quiet for a moment. Dani couldn't believe that Kol was actually agreeing with him! She just couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"The bloody hell he is!" Dani said and took a few steps toward him. "He's not correct! Don't you dare agree with him, Kol Mikaelson."

Kol watched her in bewilderment.

"I don't see a monster when I look at you, Kol." She stared at him. "I don't see a vampire. You know what I do see? I just see an arrogant, playful and caring man." She looked at him offering a smile. "I just see you Kol. That's it."

Kol turned his head to the side for a moment as if he had just discovered something about her. Something he hadn't noticed before. "You're not wearing the necklace."

"No." She shook her head. "I ripped it off my neck last night. I don't need a vervain necklace. Especially not from him."

"Let me see." He nodded his head in her direction.

She sighed but didn't argue with him. Reaching up, she winced as her fingers brushed against her skin and she pulled down her blouse's collar, showing Kol the horror that he had done the day before. Kol clenched his hands into fists again and let a low growl as he saw the bruises from his fingers marking her skin.

Then he slowly approached her. He took slow steps toward her with his connected to hers before he stood toe to toe with her. His hands brushed against her own as he pulled them away from her neck, leaving the skin bare and open. He remained holding her hands in his as he slowly moved his head in.

Dani froze. His lips brushed against the bruises on her neck so tenderly that they felt like a butterfly's wing brushing against her skin. Her face turned bright red and she nearly thought her legs would give out at the sensation of his lips on her skin.

Kol moved back so that his eyes were once again connected with hers and his face was close to her own. Dani could feel his breath on her own lips and she didn't dare to make a move at all and of course Kol smirked at this knowing, by the sound of her heart, exactly what he was doing to her.

He pressed his soft lips against her owns for a brief second before he pulled back and looked at her. Noticing her face getting redder, Kol smirked, and cupped her face with one of his hand's before he moved back in and pressed his lips against hers more forcefully.

Dani's mind went blank at that moment. She was kissing Kol. This was her first kiss so she was unsure what to do but Kol having experience took the lead and showed her exactly what to do. It wasn't a heated kiss but a tender kiss. Becoming more comfortable, Dani moved a shaky hand up to his face, and placed it upon his cheek.

The kiss lasted for a few more minutes before Dani pulled back needing to breathe. Kol nudged his nose against hers, smiling, before resting his forehead against hers. Both of them enjoying the sensation with each other.

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><p><strong>Yes, it was a little short, but they FINALLY KISSED!<strong>

**_Sam0728: THEY KISSED FINALLY! That was written clearly for you and I hope its everything you thought it would be. :)_**

**_princesspookerz: I haven't really thought about what Dani would look like in real life. But I will be thinking about it and I'll make sure to post it. (:_**

**__DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW! :D**


	17. First Kiss After Affects

**Again another short chapter. But it's an important one. (:**

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><p><strong> T<strong>HE white fluffy clouds floated across the bright blue sky slowly, taking their time, in no rush at all. Dani was laying on her back in the grass with her arms spread out on either side of her, her palms facing up and wide open. Her eyes were closed and she began to think of the feeling of Kol's lips against hers. The moment had been replaying in her mind and although its a day after they shared a kiss, Dani was still dizzy from it. It had been her first kiss. Her first glorious kiss.

Dani's skin was glowing from her happiness and because the sun's warm rays were shining upon her. A smile graced her lips and she let out a small laugh aloud to herself. If Kol could see her now he would be laughing his head off at her childish antics. But she couldn't help but to feel as though she were walking on air. Feeling footsteps approaching her, Dani's eyes flew open and she turned her head to the side, shading her eyes from the sun.

Christine in all her perfection was walking toward her. She sat up, resting her weight on her elbows, as she watched her older sister approach her silently. It was rare to be sought out by her older sister and she wondered what she possibly wanted. She thought her mother could have sent Christine out here to tell her that proper young ladies don't lay in the grass like some animal.

"Are you here to deliver some scolding message from mother?" Dani asked.

"No." Christine stopped walking and looked down at her sister. "I'm here to apologize to you, Dani."

"What?" Dani looked up with her eyes wide. She moved to an upright position giving her full attention to her sister.

Christine fell to her knees before her younger sister and she shook her head. "I'm sorry Dani. I have been acting like a spoiled brat to you." She looked down at her hands in her lap. "Mother had invited Kol here so that we might strike up a relationship together. But then Kol saw you. I guess I was jealous of my younger sister."

"Jealous? Of me?" Dani pointed to herself amazed. "Christine are you mad?"

"It makes sense. I mean for once in my life, a man wasn't attracted to me at all. For once a man wanted to get to know my wallflower of a sister." Christine's blue eyes met Dani's honey brown eyes. "A part of me was happy for you because you had finally gotten attention. But another part of me was angry and jealous...and..."

"Hurt." Dani finished for her.

Christine nodded. "I have been watching you and I can see how happy Kol makes you." She reached out her hand and took one of Dani's into her hold. "Can you ever forgive me for being such a horrid older sister to you?"

"You are happy for me?" Dani asked.

"Yes." Christine nodded. "Extremely. Kol and you are perfect for each other. I am happy for you, Dani."

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><p>Dani thought a moment. Christine had never done this before, apologize and open up like this to her. She didn't blame her sister at all because it was suppose to be her and Kol falling in love, not herself and Kol. But fate had a cruel sense of humor when it came to love.<p>

"Of course I do." Dani smiled and threw her arms around her older sister.

Christine was stunned at first before she wrapped her own arms back around her sister. She couldn't help but to laugh along with Dani, especially since from their awkward sitting positions, that Christine fell backwards dragging Dani down with her.

Both girls laid back on the grass each laughing along with the other. Could it get any better, Dani wondered? She had Kol's love and her Christine back. Everything was perfect in her eyes.

"So what has you so dreamy, my dear sister?" Christine asked as she sat up again.

Dani followed and sat across from her sister. She gave her a shy smile as her cheeks turned red at the thought. "The day before, in the woods on the dirt path, Kol and I kissed."  
>"What?" Christine gasped. "Your first kiss?"<p>

Dani nodded excitedly. "How was it?" Christine asked.

"Perfect." Dani smiled. "Kol's lips are so soft and tender. I have no experience though to judge him against so to me it was perfect."

Christine laughed. "I'm so happy. And I'm sure it was perfect. He looks like he would be an excellent kisser."

Dani nodded again. A smile graced her lips and she laughed, throwing herself back against the grass, allowing the tingling sensations to run through her body. She looked back to find Christine looking at her with a knowing smile and her bright blue eyes gleaming.

"What?" Dani looked up at her.

"You truly do love him, don't you?" Christine asked.

"I do." Dani said. "I really do. When he's around I have a calm feeling about me. I feel complete and then I get anxious when I don't see him. It's as if someone has cut me half and I'm incomplete all over again."

"How sweet first love is." Christine said.

Dani smiled agreeing with her. She then began to cough and she had to sit up from the ground. The coughing continued and Dani felt her chest begin to hurt. When the coughing finally subsided her throat was extremely sore.

"Dani, are you alright?" Christine asked.

"Yes." Dani nodded. "Nothing to worry about." Dani had been coughing a little over the last couple of days and she assumed that it was because of Kol choking her since her neck was still a little sore.

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><p>Later into the afternoon Dani found herself once again outside but this time it was with Kol. Maura, from a distance, kept an eye on the young couple while Jamie played around outside. Kol was laying on the grass with Dani laying beside him. Kol was playing with her hair, wrapping and unwrapping a loose strand of her hair, around his finger.<p>

"You've been running for the past 600 years from your brother, Niklaus?" Dani asked, looking at Kol. He had just been telling her about Klaus and how he's set out in search of his siblings.

"Yes." Kol nodded and kissed the tip of her nose. "I do believe it's the longest game of tag anyone has ever participated in."

"Kol." Dani sighed. "Don't tease."

"I'm not." Kol said. "I should get an award for that or something. It's not as easy as it sounds."

Dani sighed again shaking her head. When it came to talking about his family Kol always started to joke and shrug it off. Dani had just come to accept it but she didn't like Kol having unresolved issues with his family. But then again she couldn't judge. It wouldn't be fair.

"Kol?"

"Yes, my sweet Ellie."

She looked back at him. "How many women have you loved before me?"

"None." He looked at her.

"I doubt that." Dani sighed.

"I'm serious." Kol said. "Don't be fooled, there have been many women but I have only ever come to love you. You mean something to me, Ellie."

"Really?" Dani asked.

"Until now my human emotions have been turned off." Kol said looking at her. "As much as I hate you for it, you've brought the human side out in me. I love you, Ellie."

"I love you too." Dani said.

Her lips pressed against his for a moment before she pulled away and leaned her head on his shoulder. Kol continued to play with her hair.

"Don't tell anyone though." Kol smirked. "I have a reputation to protect."

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><p><strong>Okay so after this chapter I think you're all going to hate me. Because when you have Klaus hunting after you and you're in love with a vampire- things can't be all sunshine all the time. And I'm so sorry for everything that happens from this point on.<strong>

**On that cherry note, review! :D**


	18. Weakened By Love

**This chapter was hard for me to write. Bright side is there's a new Vampire Diaries episode on tonight. Yay! :)**

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><p><strong> T<strong>HE manor was dark and absolutely silent. Everyone was asleep in their beds.

Mr. Wright slept on the right side of the bed face up with his wife, Mrs. Wright, sleeping on his other side with her back to him. Down the hall and one room over slept Jamie, half covered by his blanket, while the other half of him laid uncovered. He had always been an active little boy in his sleep. Maura slept in the small room attached to his with her long graying blonde hair tied in a braid. On the left side of the house, down another hall, were Christine and Dani's rooms. Christine laid in the middle of her bed on her right side, with her arm spread out to the side. A candle burned nearby on the table almost completely spent.

Dani slept on the right side of her bed with her arms tucked underneath her head and the blankets pulled up to her shoulders. Her hair too had been in a braid and hung over her left shoulder with a few pieces framing her angelic face.

Kol stood by her bed a moment just taking in her sleeping form. In the moonlight Kol could see that the bruises on her neck had begun to fade and he was pleased about it. He was going to keep this sleeping image of his sweet Ellie locked away in his mind forever. Moving forward, Kol laid down on the bed beside Ellie gently.

He laid on his side facing her with a slight smile tugging at his lips. He could already see the blush rising to her cheeks when she was awoken by him and found him to be sharing a bed. That's what he loved most about her. She had morals. Although they had already kissed, she still continued to blush whenever it happened. And whenever their skins brushed against each others lightly she would shy away. Ellie was comfortable with him but she was only reacting to what was natural for her.

With a light touch, he moved a piece of hair from her face, making sure not to disturb her. He listened to the calm, steady beat of her heart. Kol never imagined ever feeling human again and yet here he was. He could imagine Elijah doing this but not him. Kol always thought it was pathetic on how humans loved and got emotionally attached. She was only suppose to be entertainment for him. He never actually thought she would become more than that.

Kol moved his hand up to her own left hand that laid beside her head on the pillow. He brushed his lips against her forefinger, the same one that he had drank her blood from. He closed his eyes and thought back to the taste of her blood. Ellie's sweet blood. Blood from an innocent virgin always tasted delicious. And hers was truly euphoric being it absolutely pure. It took all of Kol's strength to not give into his blood lust.

He opened his dark brown eyes and smiled when he found Ellie still asleep. There was a slight pink tinge coloring to her cheeks but he thought nothing of it. Instead he brought his forefinger from his right hand and moved it gently down her nose, making it wrinkle in reaction. He smirked. Then he traced the outlines of her lips with his finger and again Ellie moved in her sleep. She was coming to.

Kol brought his lips to her and kissed them, before he trailed his lips across her cheek to her left earlobe. He nipped at it slightly and then pulled away, awaiting for his love to awake.

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><p>When Dani's eyes fluttered open she was gifted with Kol laying beside her arrogantly in her bed. He was resting his elbow on the pillow and he had his head resting in his hand as he leaned against it. His dark brown eyes were gleaming and a smirk was plastered to his face.<p>

"How long have you been here for?" Dani asked.

Kol shrugged. "In the bed with you or in your room, watching you sleep, in general?"

"You watch me sleep?" Dani asked her cheeks turning redder than they already were. "Kol."

He laughed. "You enjoy it."

Dani shook her head and looked at him. Someone could walk into her room at any moment and catch them in bed together. Her mother would have a heart attack at the sight! A part of her wanted to see her mother's face but then another part of her didn't. It was improper to be alone with a man in a bedroom, let alone having one in bed with you at night.

"What if someone walks in?" Dani asked.

"Ellie, I'm a vampire." Kol smirked. "They would never know."

"Oh yes, I had forgotten that important detail." Dani smirked and leaned forward, allowing her lips to brush against his. "You're a vampire so you can do whatever you please."

"Of course." Kol smiled.

Dani smiled yet again and moved so that she was now laying on her back and facing her ceiling, pulling the blankets further up her body.

"Doing whatever you desire." Dani added.

"And what do you desire, Ellie?" Kol reached his hand over, cupping her cheek, turning her head back toward him. "Do you desire immortality?"

"No." Dani answered.

Kol was shocked. He had not been expecting that for an answer. Most women when they found out he was a vampire would beg and plead with him for him to change them. To make them vampires and to spend eternity with him. But she had denied it. She didn't desire it. And he could see the look behind her eyes that she had put a lot of thought into this. Ellie had expected him to ask her this very question eventually.

"I don't want to be changed, to become a vampire." Dani said. "Besides being with you up until this point I have lived an entire lifetime to fill me with content."

"You don't want to live forever, never having to die?" Kol asked.

"Death is apart of life." Dani turned onto her side to face him. "It's the the reason why we humans live and take chances. Without death how would we ever really live? All that we do, all the choices we make and the moments that we live, are more precious because we know that someday we're going to die." She explained. "Death is just a sacrifice we make for life."

Kol had fallen even more in love with her in that moment than he had ever before. No human had ever given him such a perfect reason for not wanting to become a vampire. It was that reason that made Ellie so pure and beautiful. But apart of him couldn't accept it. He couldn't accept a world in which she no longer existed. He didn't want to imagine her dying.

"Well the, Ms. Wright," Kol smiled at her, "I accept your challenge." Kol believed that he could make her change her mind. Anything to stop him from thinking about her impending death.

Dani awoke the following morning to find herself alone in her bed. She didn't remember falling back asleep last night but she remembered Kol's lips brushing against her face and neck and him playing with her hair. She also remembered him kissing the place where her heart was beating and how quickly her heart sped up and how feverish she felt from that intimate connection.

She remembered the look on Kol's face when she told him that she didn't desire to become immortal. She didn't see hurt but she saw shock. Clearly he had never heard of anyone not wanting to become one. And Dani had put deep thought into it. It's not that she didn't want to spend an eternity by Kol's side it's just she knew that it was impossible. Her heart and soul belonged to him but she knew, Kol being Kol, that he would eventually loose interest in her. Dani just knew that he would. Maybe not right away but eventually he would tire of her and she couldn't watch as he grew bored with her. She wouldn't be able to take it. But she wouldn't tell Kol that. It would hurt him so.

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><p>Dani had been on her way to see Kol when she was shocked to find him standing in the middle of the dirt path. She could tell immediately that something was off with him. He look agitated and she could see how stiff he stood with his hands hanging at his sides. She scrunched her eyebrows in confusion as she watched him not daring to approach. Something was extremely wrong.<p>

"My brother, Klaus, once told me a long time ago, that a vampire can not afford to love." Kol's voice was stiff. "Love can do nothing but to harm a vampire because it couldn't last. Someone was eventually going to get hurt."

"Kol?"

"He was right." Kol said. "Love makes a vampire weak. It's dangerous for a vampire to be weak. You start be ruled by your emotions, you change."

"No." Dani shook her head. "Love does not make a vampire weak. It makes them human."

"Exactly!" Kol snapped. "A vampire isn't human, Ellie. A vampire is above that." He looked at her with no emotion on his face. "Love is pathetic."

Dani felt a part of her heart shatter at his last statement. Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked at Kol. This wasn't him. This wasn't him at all even if he did have mood swings. "No. This isn't you Kol. I don't believe you." She moved forward to him. "Something is wrong. What's happened? Is it Klaus?"

"See how blinded you are by love?" Kol gripped her upper arms tightly and shook her a little. "You can't see the truth before you."

"Kol." Dani looked at him. "I love you." She brought her hands to his face cupping it so that he was forced to look at her. "I love you."

"Don't you understand?" He shook his head and took a step back from her, putting distance between them. "I'm leaving Corby."

"Why?" Dani asked. "What are you running away from?"

Kol's dark brown eyes locked onto her own eyes. No emotion his voice soft and steady. "I've grown bored."

And then without another word Kol turned and walked away from Dani. Dani felt as if she had been shot in the heart.

"Kol!" She called after him. "Kol, please! Don't do this!" He didn't turn as he continued walking with his back to her. "Kol!"

Her chest became tight as tears streamed down her face. Dani brought a hand to her chest because she couldn't breath. She tried to bring in air into her lungs but she couldn't and her breath came out in short gasping breaths. As if in slow motion, Dani's eyes fluttered closed, as her legs gave out and she collapsed to the ground.

Kol finally reached Grey Hall having not looked back at all. Walter was waiting for him in the sitting room. Kol looked at him. "It's done. We leave immediately."

"Are you sure?" Walter asked.

"If I don't leave, Klaus will kill her." Kol shook his head. "Klaus has to believe that she means nothing to me."

Walter stared at him. "Even if that means you kill her instead, sir?"

Kol sent Walter a cold glare warning him to tread carefully. Walter sighed and gave a quick nod of his head before he went to ready for the long journey they were going to take.

Kol didn't allow the angry tears to fall as his breathing became ragged. Letting out a low growl, Kol with great force, and a simple flick of his hand, had thrown the wooden table across the room making it hit the opposite wall and shatter into broken pieces.

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><p><strong>I know. You guys are not happy with me. And there's only about 2-3 more chapters left. Again, I apologize for any pain I cause you guys.<strong>

**Review please! :D And thank you for all of the support you guys have given me.**


	19. Life's Sacrifice

**So tonight's new episode of TVD was awesome! :D But sadly this chapter is not awesome.**

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><p><strong> H<strong>ER throat burned and her back ached from bending over. As she knelt upon her knees she slumped back, sitting on her heels, and leaning her forehead against the toilet. Her cheeks were flushed and Dani shot up again as she vomited for the hundredth time that night. Once she stopped she wiped the back of her hand against her mouth and she gasped for her breath as she slumped down yet again.

Maura had been awakened and stood in the doorway watching Dani with sad eyes. Her condition had been getting worse and she was concerned for the young woman. Going over to the bathroom sink, she ran a wash cloth under the cold water, before she knelt beside the sick girl. She ran the cool wash cloth over the girl's face, shushing her.

"I'm sorry for waking you, Maura." Dani said. "You can go back to bed. I'm fine now."

"Dani." Maura sighed. She looked into the girl's dull honey brown eyes. She could feel the burn of her skin against her hand. "You're burning up."

Dani shook her head. Her breathing had returned to normal and she let out a cough as she shook her head, looking at Maura. She didn't need to worry about her. "It's the summer heat, Maura. That's all."

Maura said nothing. She knew it was more than the summer heat but she didn't want to upset the poor girl. Standing up she ran the wash cloth under the cold water and then she knelt beside the girl again and put it to her face, pulling the girl into her, laying her head against her chest. As Maura laid the top of her head on Dani's, tears welled up in her eyes. And as Dani's body shook again from another coughing fit, Maura held her closer. And tears slipped down her cheeks.

Today was the first day of July, Dani had noted. It had been an entire month since Kol had left Corby without a second look back. She knew that he didn't leave by choice and that it most likely had something to do with Klaus. He had probably tracked Kol down and out of protection for her, Kol ran, leading Klaus elsewhere.

She was so positive that that was what had happened. She knew it in her heart.

Dani sat on a comfortable chair that her father had brought out for her and set in on the back porch over looking the backyard. Her eyes remained forward looking to the woods as if at any moment Kol would just appear from out behind the trees, smirking and his eyes gleaming with amusement. But Dani knew that it was only in her dreams did that happen. She knew that with Klaus on his trail he would not be returning to Corby anytime soon.

Philip arrived at the Wright Manor later that day. He had received a letter from a distressed Mr. Wright telling him of Dani's condition. He knew that she had only gotten worse as time had progressed especially with Kol's sudden departure. He decided that if he was going to tell Victoria's story, that now was better than later.

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><p>When he walked through the back parlor and out onto the back porch he frowned at the sight. The young, sweet 16 year old girl that he knew so well sat as a broken shell in the chair. Her skin had a pale tone to it underneath the summer sun and underneath her eyes were purple circles, evidence of nights laying awake. What pained him more was that this was caused by natural causes and not by Kol.<p>

"Dani." Philip said softly.

Her attention was now on him and not on the woods. She gave him a smile and stood up to greet him. She coughed a little at the sudden movement and Philip moved forward, reaching out and steadying her with his own hands.

"Hello Philip." Dani smiled. "Come to visit father?"

"No, actually, I'm here for you." Philip said.

"Me?" Dani sat down in the chair. "And what do I owe to this sudden visit?"

Philip sat in a white chair beside her. He looked out to the woods with the trees so green and lush in the summer sun before he turned his focus back to the girl beside him.

"I've come to see how you were." Philip sighed. "Your father wrote to me saying your health was not at its best."

Dani sighed. "Of course he did. My mother and Maura fuss over me constantly though I don't see why." She looked at him a smile on her face. "It's this summer weather that's getting to me."

"I also know about Kol's departure." Philip said.

"Do you know where he is?" Dani asked.

"Dani." Philip sighed. "He's been running from Klaus for over 600 years. Kol has never stayed in one particular place for very long before." Philip looked at her. "You kept him here and that's how Klaus picked up his trail so easily."

"I know." Dani said and took a breath. "I had a feeling that Klaus was somehow behind it all. I knew I was to blame."

"No." Philip looked at her. "You are not to blame, Dani. Don't you even think it for a minute."

"He stayed for me, Philip." Dani said. "You even said it yourself that he had never stayed in one place for long."

Philip watched with pained eyes as she began to cough again, sucking in any air that her lungs good grasp onto, before she settled back against the chair. She sighed and closed her eyes for a moment as she shook from a shiver. And, although it was summer, Dani had become chilled and pulled her silk shawl close to her body.

"There was one other time that Kol stayed in a place." Philip said. "It was when he met Victoria."

"Your wife?" Dani gasped.

Philip nodded. "It was in 18864, just before Edmund had been born. Victoria was only 18 when she became pregnant with him. Victoria had been reading about vampires and the supernatural for as long as I had known her. Victoria was a beautiful youthful woman with blonde hair and bright blue eyes." He smiled as he remembered his wife. "So of course Kol was attracted to her."

Dani frowned. Kol was attracted to Edmund's mother.

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><p>Philip saw her frown and smiled, shaking his head. "It's not what you think. I too thought Kol was romantically attracted to my wife but that wasn't it." He looked at her. "Kol was attracted to my wife because she reminded him of his little sister, Rebekah. Anyways, Kol had given Victoria a vile of his blood to use in case of emergency."<p>

Philip took a breath. "The pregnancy was difficult for her. The labor was even worse. Victoria was so tired but she kept going because she loved our child. When Edmund was born, her conditioned worsened over the next few days. And then I remembered the vile of Kol's blood."

"You changed her into a vampire?" Dani asked shocked.

"I loved her so so much that it didn't matter to me if she became a vampire." Philip explained. "As long as she existed I was happy. I couldn't live in a world without her. But no, I didn't change her. I ran into the room that night and poured Kol's blood down her throat but her heart had already stopped. She was already dead."

Dani couldn't believe it. Philip had tried to save his wife from death with Kol's blood but it had been too late. He loved his wife so much that he was willing to have her as a vampire, as long as she was alive. He truly did love her.

"So Kol didn't kill her." Dani said.

"No." Philip shook his head. "I blamed him for her death though. In fact I hated him even more when I realized that Kol was pained by her loss as well. To him it was like loosing his sister all over again but I didn't see it that way. I saw it that his blood failed to save my wife."

"Why didn't you hunt him then?" Dani asked.

"He's an original. It's impossible to kill him." Philip shook his head. "Besides I promised my wife that I wouldn't kill him."

Dani sat in silence for a moment. She had no idea and it suddenly sunk in as to why Kol was so upset when Edmund blamed him for his mother's death. If he viewed Victoria as his sister, it must of killed him to be accused of her murder.

"Do you still blame him?" Dani asked.

Philip thought about it for a moment before he sighed and shook his head. "No. Life is much to short to hold blame against a vampire. Besides I know that he feels guilty about enough for the both of us."

Dani's chest constricted again and she was having trouble breathing. She leaned forward as her body shook with coughs that hurt her entire body. Philip caught her body before she slumped to the floor.

Kol's hands gripped the edge of the paper tight as his eyes read the letter over and over again. The words that screamed in his face made him growl with anger. Turning from the edge of the cliff with the sound of the ocean disappearing into the back he called for Walter, telling them that they were returned to Corby, England.

Kol crumbled the letter into his hand before he tossed it to the ground. Walter who was following behind him picked up the fallen letter.

_Kol,_

_ You have thrown Klaus off your trail well enough. It's time for you to come home from Scotland. Dani is sick with pneumonia and the doctor has no hope for her._

_ You need to be here. You need each other._

_ -Philip_

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><p><strong>There's only one more chapter before the epilogue.<strong>

**I don't know if I wrote this chapter well enough. :/ Review and let me know what you think. **


	20. Human Too

**I highly recommend listening to the track 'Yearning' from the Bright Star soundtrack while reading this chapter. And to have a box of tissues near by.**

**Deep breath everyone...**

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><p><strong> K<strong>OL had arrived in the early morning to Wright Manor. He didn't bother to knock on the door or announce his arrival. He just simply walked through the door coming to a stand still in the foray. The mood of the manor was dark and depressed. He was surrounded by a thick fog of despair and silence sliced through it like a knife to butter.

Kol stopped at the bottom of the stairs and as his dark brown eyes traveled upwards. At the top of the stairs, Christine, sat with her knees bent and pulled up tightly to her chest. Her arms were wrapped around her legs like a newborn child gripped onto a blanket as she stared at the wooden posts on the stairs' railing, not even noticing that he had arrived.

He trudged up the stairs slowly and passed the eldest Wright daughter without judgment not saying a word to her. Kol took an unnecessary deep breath as he turned left and stared down the long hallway. To him it seemed as if the hallway had somehow grew in length since he was last here. He stood for a moment and listened to the faint heartbeat that echoed throughout the entire manor. Kol's legs nearly gave out at the sound.

As he moved down the dark hallway it felt as though he might collapse from the sudden weight that he felt upon his body. The door to his love's room was opened and he could hear the soft voice of a mother trying to comfort her child. Kol was so focused on listening to the sound of Ellie's heartbeat that he hadn't even realized that Mr. Wright was standing against the wall, across from his daughter's open doorway, until he moved.

Kol looked at the man. He was quiet and composed on the outside but looking into his blue eyes, Kol could see the pain, they were no longer cheerful. Mr. Wright, although never admitting it aloud, favored Ellie the most. Those two were closer than he was with Christine and he was suffering silently, being strong for his family. As a good father should do.

His dark brown eyes then turned back to the doorway where Mrs. Wright suddenly appeared. Mr. Wright was at his wife's side in an instant, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. Her eyes, which were a perfect match to Ellie's, were dull and the rims of them were red. Underneath her eyes were dark purple circles, proof of the sleepless nights to sat vigil to her youngest daughter, as all loving mothers did.

As if noticing Kol was standing there for the first time, Mrs. Wright's eyes went wide, and she offered a halfhearted attempt of a smile. "Kol." Mrs. Wright, a woman who cared greatly about how a proper young lady presented herself, looked a mess. She didn't bother to wipe away the dry tear marks that ran down her cheeks. "She wouldn't let us send for you sooner. Thank God Philip knew where to find you." Her voice cracked. She glanced back over her shoulder to the doorway of the room. "She didn't want to be a bother to you." She shook her head, biting her lip, as more tears flowed. "Imagine, my Dani, being a bother."

Mr. Wright had still said nothing as he led his broken wife past Kol and down the hallway, leaving him to stand alone. To face death alone.

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><p>Kol stood in the hallway a moment, turning so that he faced the wall. Closing his eyes he listened to the slow beating of the heart from the other side. It seemed years in between each individual thump of her heart. He leaned his forehead against the wall and just listened.<p>

As he approached the open doorway, Kol allowed his arms to hand loose at his side, he had never been more afraid.

He stopped dead in his tracks when he came to the doorway and looked in. His heart, which hadn't beat for over 1000 years, shattered into a thousand pieces at the sight. Each sharp edged piece of his shattered heart sliced his body as they fell into the pit of stomach. He cursed being a vampire and having heightened emotions.

Ellie laid still on her back in her bed. Her head was turned to the side and drooped slightly, while her arms laid still on each side of her torso. There was a slight yellow tinge to her skin but other than that she was as pale as the winter snow. If he wasn't a vampire, and couldn't hear the painfully slow beating of her heart, he would have believed her to be dead.

As if sensing a presence, his presence, Ellie's eyes opened and she turned her head to face him. Her honey brown eyes met his dark brown eyes, shining out from underneath that dark purple circles that trapped them. It amazed him that her eyes still had the youthful shine to them. Her cracked lips formed a hard worked smile. "Kol."

He was at her side in an instant. Sweat had formed on her forehead making some of her hair stick to it and because of the fever, there was a pink tinge to her cheeks and the rest of her face. Kol brushed her hair from her forehead. "Ellie." He brushed his lips against her forehead. "My dear sweet Ellie."

Kol then took the seat close by the bed, which had been previously occupied by her mother, before he took her right clammy hand into his left cold one, allowing his lips to the brush the top of it, before placing his own right hand over hers.

"I look awful." Dani's voice cracked.

"No." Kol shook his head, forcing a smirk for her sake. "You look almost as good as me."

Her entire body shook as her laugh turned into hard coughs that made her sit up some in the bed, trying to regain her breath. They sounded painful as if they were tearing up her throat before they finally stopped and she laid back in the bed, taking in slow, gasping breaths.

All Kol to do was sit there and hold her hand through it. He couldn't fix it and it made him angry as hell.

* * *

><p>"Where were you?" Dani asked.<p>

"Scotland." Kol said.

"Is it beautiful there?"

"No. Miserable." Kol replied quickly.

Dani nodded. Her breathing was unsteady and it seemed with every intake of a breath there was a wheeze. No matter what her lungs always wanted, needed, more air. It was exhausting for her and Kol, watching her, felt as if he had begun to show his true age.

"Why didn't you send for me sooner, Ellie?" Kol asked.

"I didn't want to be a bother." Dani answered, her voice barely able to rise above a whisper. She coughed a few times. "I didn't think you would come."

"That's the most idiotic thing I have ever heard you say, Danielle Wright." Kol said. "I would always come for you."

"And risk being daggered by Klaus?" Dani shook her head.

When Kol looked into her eyes he saw the forgiveness there. He knew that he didn't leave on his own terms and had forgiven him for it. She was the first human to have ever understood him like that. She could see right past his facade.

As another set of coughs set in, Dani sat up in the bed, trying to catch her breath back. Kol reached over to the table beside the bed and poured some cool water into the glass sitting there. Sitting up from the chair, he held her head, as he brought the rim of the cup to her lips. Some of the water didn't get into her mouth and trickled down her chin instead. Kol, with his thumb, brushed the spilled water away, looking at her with his dark brown eyes.

"Where do you hurt?" Kol asked.

"Everywhere." Dani answered. "I have chest pains and can barely breathe. The worst was when I would get the chills but they've stopped." She smiled. "That's splendid."

"Let me change you." Kol said as he knelt forward in the chair. "Then this could all be over."

Dani looked at him. She slid her hand forward and grabbed his with a gentle grip, looking at him with tearful honey brown eyes. Kol shook his head, staring at her with a frown. "You chose death?"

"I don't choose." Dani said. "Death is apart of life."

"Typical human answer." Kol snatched his hand away and stood up from the chair, as he began to to pace the floor. He looked back at her. "I hated you. You were just a human to me, that's all. Just something to ease my boredom away, entertainment." She watched him with a gentle stare, listening to every word. "And then you became Ellie. And no matter how hard I tried to keep my human emotions off, I fell in love with you." He looked at her.

"And now?" Dani asked.

"I hate you again!" Kol looked at her. "I hate you for choosing death instead of becoming a vampire! I hate you for making me weak and for making me feel human!" Angry tears formed in his eyes but he wouldn't dare let them fall. No. He was an original, he didn't feel. He looked into her honey brown eyes. "I will never forgive you for this, Ellie. Never."

"I know." Dani replied.

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><p>"Please Ellie." Kol was at the bedside again, but instead of sitting in the chair, he was on his knees. He grabbed her hand into his, surrendering to his tears, allowing them to fall. "Let me change you, I beg you." He kissed her hand, placing his head against it. "Please Ellie. Please."<p>

"You know how I once said, I wanted to see you cry?" Dani asked. She had told him once that she wondered if vampires could cry and had hoped one day to see him shed a tear. A cruel desire.

Kol nodded, looking up at her. "I regret it." Dani said as her own tears began to fall down her cheeks.

Kol reached forward and brushed the tears away with his fingers, as he moved to sit on the side of the bed, facing her. Leaning forward he pressed his smooth perfect lips against her cracked ones. When he pulled away, he laid his head against her chest, listening to the sound of her heart beating slowly. Dani brought her left arm up and began to run her fingers through his hair.

"Just think, you'll be the only vampire with a guardian angel." Dani said. "I can watch over you from the other side for eternity."

He lifted his head up. "You could live by my side for eternity." He looked at her. "I could force feed you my blood, you know, and you couldn't stop me."

"I know." Dani looked back at him, resting her hand that had been stroking his hair, on his right cheek. She knew that he could but he wouldn't.

"I could live with you forever. Stay with you." Dani said. "Say that I allow you to change me. What would happen as the years passed and centuries turned? You would grow bored with me." He shook his head in protest. "Yes, yes you would. It's just who you are. My love for you is eternal, Kol. My heart and soul is yours to keep for forever. But I couldn't bare to watch as you slowly fell out of love with me."

Kol leaned his forehead against hers as tears slipped from his eyes. He felt as if someone were stabbing him with a thousand vervain covered knives. He brought his hands up to cup her face gently as he continued to lean against her warm forehead.

"I want you to promise me something Kol." Dani said.

"Anything." Kol said.

"I don't want you to take out your anger on me on the rest of the world." Dani said. "I want you to let go of me and the pain but I don't want you to forget me."

"I could never." Kol opened his eyes to look at her. "Never, Ellie."

"And when you feel your humanity slipping away, I want you to remember the moments we shared together. I want you to remember that at one time you did love, and you were human." Dani stared at him. "Remember us and what we had. Because what we had, made me live equally with what I would have if I chose immortality."

Dani was dreaming. She knew that she was on her death bed and that this was all a dream because it was perfect. It was the daydream that she had the first day that Kol had arrived. She was outside with the sun shining on her face, warming her skin. She was wearing a lilac colored dress that fell to the ground and moved easily with her. Around the bodice there were purple jewels sewn in, sparkling whenever they caught the sunlight. Lifting her dress up she laughed at the sight of her bare feet.

Two pieces of her hair had braided and pulled back from her face, being held back by a butterfly clip. Dani laughed and began to spin around and around. And then white petals began to fall all around her and she stopped. Through the shower of petals she saw a figure approaching her, just like in her daydream. Her smiled widened. It was Kol.

Kol smiled at the sight of her being so free. She was his Ellie again. She had told him once about this daydream and he couldn't help himself. He thought she deserved it more than anything else. He came to a stop in front of her.

* * *

><p>"White petals? Really?" Kol asked.<p>

Dani laughed and leaned up on her toes to kiss him. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he wrapped his around her and swung her around, making her laugh with joy. He spun her around and around before he placed her back on the ground.

"Happy birthday, Ellie." Kol said.

Dani looked confused for a moment as she thought before she smiled. She looked up at him. "Today is July 7th. I'm 17 today Kol."

Kol smiled but it wasn't a real one. He couldn't help but to think of the cruel sense of humor fate had. Today, the day that she was brought into the world, was the same day that she was leaving it. Talk about irony.

She laughed some more, allowing him to dance with her one last time. But then, Dani stopped spinning and came to a stand still. Kol knew she felt the slowing of her heart and he refused to shed tears again.

Dani looked over his shoulder, as if she was looking at something or someone in particular. And then her honey brown eyes moved back to his dark brown eyes. "Kol."

Kol laid beside her in the bed. One leg laid parallel to her body as the other dropped off the side of bed with his foot against the floor. He had his left arm wrapped around her while his right hand grasped her right hand, as he listened to her heartbeat slow. More time came between each beat until finally, it stopped all together.

Ellie was dead.

Kol didn't move for a moment just sitting in the silence. She was no longer in pain. And as he did those many nights ago, Kol turned on his side and faced her. He took the forefinger of his right hand and ran it down the tip of her nose, half expecting the stimulation to somehow bring to her back. And then he traced the outline of her cracked lips just as he did before. And again retracing his steps he brought his face up, and allowed his lips to press against hers. And then he moved across her cheek to her right ear, biting it gently.

"Ellie." He whispered into her ear.

Kol finally broke as he moved his arm underneath her head and brought it up to his chest, cradling her dead body as he sobbed uncontrollably. He just rocked her dead body in his arms as a 1000 years worth of tears fell from his eyes.

Why did she chose death? Why didn't she let him change her? Kol's mind began to swirl with thoughts as he rose from the bed and laid her body back down. He began to pace the floor. Why didn't he just force her to drink his blood? Why did he allow her to make him feel human again? Why did he have to fall in love? Why did Klaus have to catch up with him again? Why did he leave her? If he stayed maybe he could have caught her illness before it got bad.

"Why? Why? Why?" Kol yelled and then with all of his vampire strength he picked up the chair and threw it across the room. It hit the wall as he fell to the floor and cried out in anger and pain.

His painful cry rang throughout the manor, announcing to everyone of Dani's departure.

Maura, who was in another bedroom down the opposite hall, pulled Jamie into her arms, shushing him as he cried out for his sister. Her own tears slipped silently from her eyes.

Christine, who hadn't moved from her spot at the top of the stairs, pulled her legs closer to her chest. Her younger sister was gone forever. She wrapped her arms tighter around her legs as she leaned her face against her knees and allowed the tears to flow.

Down the stairs and to the right in the sitting room, Mrs. Wright let out a painful wail as she crumbled to the floor on her knees. The tears ran down her face as she shook her head. "Oh God, no! Danielle!" Her forehead was against the floor as her body shook from the sobs.

Mr. Wright knelt beside his wife and quickly gathered her into his arms. His body shook with his wife's as his own tears fell from his eyes. And inside his heart broke for the lost of his Dani.

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><p><strong>:'( I've never cried so much while writing a chapter. i.e. I hope Kol didn't go out of character.<strong>

**One more chapter and then the epilogue.**


	21. Sweet Ellie

**Thank you all for reviewing and keeping up with this story. It meant the world to me. :) I'm sorry if this chapter isn't as good as the rest of them.**

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><p><em>I've been so lost since you've gone<br>Why not me before you?  
>Why did fate deceive me?<br>Everything turned out so wrong  
>Why did you leave me in silence?<br>-Forgiven, Within Temptation_

**S**IX days had gone by since Ellie had died and Kol had never been so lost and angry before. Within those days he had taken the lives of three humans, draining them completely of their blood just because he could. It was if he knew that Ellie was watching from the other side and he was throwing his pain into her face. Mostly he was angry with himself because he allowed himself to feel human again despite having denied those feelings so well before but then she came along.

Kol had made his way back to Grey Hall. As he stood on the dirt path in the woods he could feel himself getting sick. Why had he come back here? What was the point? There was nothing left for him here. The only reason he had was buried in the ground.

When he entered Grey Hall, Kol was over powered with Ellie's scent. It was faint which told him that she had come here before her death. Which also told him that she had been coming here since his he left. His curiosity was sparked.

He followed her faint scent up the stairs and down the hallway into the room, where he had first brought her, when she first came here. Kol looked around the room for anything out of place but found nothing. Everything was exactly where it was suppose to be. Except for one thing. Above the fire place sitting on the mantle so casually were a stack of letters tied together in a bunch.

He was beside the fireplace instantly. Reaching his hand out slowly he allowed his fingers to grip the stack of letters. They were all addressed to him in Ellie's writing. As he shifted through the letters, he found that she had written him everyday for the entire month that he had been away. Kol couldn't help the small smile that rose to his lips. They weren't fancy letters they were just simple things that Ellie decided to tell him. Most of them were of her talking about her daydreams and memories that they shared together. Those private tender moments that will be forever locked away in the back of his mind.

But then the letters began to change. Kol could practically hear the sad tone in her voice as she wrote the words onto the paper. Kol collapsed into the chair that sat beside the fireplace. She knew, although she had denied it to everyone else, she knew that she poor in health. Ellie knew that she was going to die. He didn't know if he was angrier at her knowing she was sick and going to die or that she seemed to accept it so easily.

And then he found the very last letter that she had written to him.

_My dearest Kol,_

_ I'm writing this from the confinements of my room a day after Philip sent word to you. The chills have stopped for now and I decided that if I were to write to you it should be now before another wave sets in._

_ I'm making it clear that this is not a good bye letter. This is a letter to you in case you don't arrive in time and I've gone. I know that you're blaming yourself and it's not your fault at all. People get ill because that's what people do. It's a human thing. I know that you're thinking you could have changed me into a vampire but that's not true. I would have denied it. But that doesn't mean I'm denying you Kol. Just because I chose not to be changed does not mean I do not love you. It's my love for you that has kept me going for the past month._

_ You are such a good person Kol, despite being an original vampire. It's been centuries since you've been a human but you still have those emotions Kol. Do not let go of them. Even if you keep them turned off do not let them be lost. It would be such a waste. No matter what anyone tells you- you are good, Kol. I will be watching over you from the other side. _

_ Do not forget me Kol. Remember those moments that we had together and keep them close. When you feel as though you are loosing yourself just think of my love for you. Let me go but do not forget Kol._

_ Another set of chills have come and therefore I must rest, my mother says. Jamie will bring this letter to Grey Hall._

_ I will love you for all of your eternity Kol and more. _

_Eternally yours,_

_Ellie_

She knew him so well. Only Ellie could make him feel human even after her death. Kol read the letter for a second time.

And then a third.

And then a fourth.

And then one more time.

* * *

><p>Kol flew up from the chair in a state of rage. The letter still crumbled in his hand he ran throughout the room in a fit of rage. He threw the wooden chairs into the wall of the room breaking them. He even broken the wooden table that was in the room in half, as if he were snapping but a mere twig from the forest.<p>

By the time his fit of rage was done, Grey Hall looked as though it had been hit by a terrible storm. Glass was shattered into pieces on the floor while furniture was ripped up and smashed into pieces. There was even a shattered window where the glass laid on the ground outside.

And Kol sat in the middle of the destruction, her last letter still in his hand, gripping it like he would to a human's heart if he were to rip it from their chest.

A week had passed since Ellie had been laid to rest. Kol had finally decided to go and visit her grave since he had been unable to bring himself to attend her funeral. It had been enough to have been there when she died, he didn't need to see her body eternally entombed inside of a coffin and lowered into the ground. Plus he didn't think he would have made it. He would have jumped inside with her for he couldn't help himself.

There had been fresh flowers placed upon her grave, leaning against the gray, marble headstone. There was an angel engraved into the headstone in the upper right corner just after her name. Reaching out his right forefinger, he traced her name that was engraved into the stone.

_Danielle Anne Wright_

_July 7, 1885- July 7, 1902_

_A loving daughter and sister who will be dearly missed._

_And whose shining light will be longed for._

"I was wondering when you were going to show up."

Kol continued to stare at the headstone. "When I was going to show up?"

"I knew you were going to come, it was only a matter of when."

Kol sighed and stood up. He turned to the man standing a few feet away from him. He was dressed in the usual black suit attire, holding his hat in his left hand, with his blue eyes shining with pity.

"Hello Philip."

Philip gave a nod. "Hello Kol."

"It's been a few years." Kol placed his hands into his pockets. "Where's that son of yours?"

"London." Philip answered. "My son isn't dumb enough to try and hunt you, Kol. So don't go looking for him."

Kol smirked. "What shall I do for entertainment then?"

Philip sighed and moved his eyes from the vampire to the headstone just behind him. Dani's death reminded him of his wife's death and he knew what Kol was going through. Moving his eyes back to the vampire he could see the pained expression hidden in the depth of his dark brown eyes. He knew Kol would never admit it but he was hurting.

"I blamed you for the longest time for Victoria's death. For the longest time I wanted to hunt you down and torture you." Philip said.

"That would have been fun." Kol smirked. "Why didn't you?"

"Because I promised Victoria I wouldn't hunt you down." Philip said.

"I knew I liked your wife for a reason." Kol smiled and looked at him. "But she's dead Philip. It's not like your promise actually meant anything."

"That's not the point Kol. I made a promise to her." Philip answered. "Whether she was dead or not."

It was silent between the two of them again. Philip studied him for a moment before he spoke again. "But now I pity you Kol."

Kol smirked. "Really? What can you possible pity me for? I get to live for eternity."

"Exactly." Philip said and looked him directly in the eyes. "I will die and be rejoined with my wife in the next life. But you will never be rejoined with Dani. You will have to live for eternity with that pain and that knowledge that you will never see again. My pain will eventually end."

Kol's smirk was gone from his face. He walked slowly, stalking almost, toward Philip and stood in front of him. He stared at that man and although he was dangerously close to him and could kill him with one finger, Philip's heart rate didn't increase at all. Kol was impressed.

"You don't have to pity me, Philip." Kol's voice was low and dangerous. "Because unlike you, I can turn my pain off. I don't have to live for eternity haunted by her unless I chose to be."

* * *

><p><strong>A YEAR LATER<strong>

Kol had found himself back in London and he was enjoying himself thoroughly. As he had told Philip a year before, he could turn off his emotions, and that's exactly what he did. He continued on draining people of their blood and taunting hunters who dared to follow. But although he had turned off his emotions, on the inside left pocket of the shirt he was wearing, under his vest, was the last letter Ellie had written to him. It was crumbled and folded into a tiny square but he couldn't bring himself to part with it. The other letters he had left behind in Grey Hall along with all the rest of his memories.

He was walking down a street in London late one night. He had just gotten done draining another woman of blood when time seem to freeze. He felt him behind him but he didn't falter or show fear. Quite frankly he was surprised that he hadn't caught up to him before. Kol simply put on his signature smirk and turned.

"Hello Nick."

Klaus smiled back to his brother. "Hello brother."

"I was wondering when you were going to pay me a visit." Kol said.

"Yes, well I decided to site see Scotland a little more." Klaus replied. "You've seem to be enjoying yourself, here in London."

"It's been entertaining." Kol smiled.

Klaus's smirk widened. "Honestly I'm surprised."

"Why's that?" Kol asked.

"Well with Dani's death, I didn't think you'd ever enjoy yourself again." Klaus smirked.

Kol clenched his hands at his side but he remained composed. He kept his gaze on his brother while his smirk remained intact. But Klaus seemed to be able to see through it all.

"You didn't think you could keep her hidden could you Kol?" Klaus smirked. "I knew all about Dani. I must say brother, you have an excellent taste in women." He clasped his hands behind his back as he continued to stare at his younger brother. "I myself found her pureness alluring. Such a sweet little thing. I am sorry for your loss."

"I am too." Kol smirked. "She was such an entertaining human."

Klaus smiled, impressed that his younger brother was holding his own so well. But he knew that Kol had fallen in love with the human girl because he had watched them for so long. He could see how human Kol became around her. It amazed him that a girl could bring out the human side of his psychotic younger brother.

"Yes she was an excellent muse." Klaus looked at him. "What is it you use to call her, brother?" He tapped a finger on his chin pretending to think. "Ah, Ellie." He looked directly at his brother. "Dear sweet Ellie."

That had set him off. Kol lunged at his brother knocking him to the ground, sending him flying across the street. He did not want to hear Klaus say her name. That was his name for her, his and only his. Klaus laughed at his brother as he stood up. "Touch a nerve did I, brother? Just to think how she chose death instead of living by your side for eternity."

Kol lunged at his brother again but Klaus spun around, and had his hand around Kol's throat. He threw him up against the wall of a building.

"You would have hurt her, Kol." Klaus said. "Just admit it. You would have grown bored and destroyed her. She made you weak. You will never be rid of her. She will haunt you forever."

And then Klaus took the dagger and stabbed it through Kol's heart, watching as his brother turned blue. He smirked as his brother's limp body slid down the side of the wall. Reaching into his brother's shirt pocket he took out the letter that he knew he had with him.

Unknown by Kol, Klaus had returned to Grey Hall not long after Kol had left. He wasn't surprised that he found the place in ruins knowing how Kol and his out bursts of rage. He had found the other letters from Dani that he had left behind and took them. And now he had the letter that meant the most to him. Klaus knew that those letters were going to come in handy later.

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><p><strong>So Klaus knew about Dani all along. Only the Epilogue is left and then the story will be finished.<strong>

**Leave me a review and tell what you thought! :D**

**Also be on a look out for my next story which will be an Elijah/OC! (Because he deserves some love)**


	22. Epilogue

**So here it is. The final chapter. Thank you guys so much for loving this story and sticking with me while I wrote it. (: It meant the world. I'm sort of sad to see it end but I am writing an Elijah/OC story so it's not too bad. Thank you all again.  
>I'm sorry if this is a little lame.<strong>

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><p><strong>H<strong>E watched in great amusement as Klaus flipped through his sketchbook angrily before he ripped the numerous pages of Caroline from them and tossed them into the fire. Kol knew that he had been sketching pictures of Caroline but he never said a word. It was entertaining to watch Klaus, completely feverish with love, sketch her for hours on end. And Kol was all about entertainment. Both he and Rebecca had been spending too much time around humans. They had become weakened by their feelings and less like vampires.

"And what are you smirking at, Kol?" Klaus ripped another page from his sketchbook before he crumbled it up and tossed it into the fire.

Kol shook his head smirking. "Nothing, brother. But I must say that is a waste of paper. Aren't we suppose to be preserving paper and saving the environment or something?"

"How modern of you." Klaus snapped.

"Yes, well I needed to catch up on the times." Kol pushed away from the door frame. He moved toward his brother with the same smirk on his face that he had become known for. He watched as Klaus ripped page after page of Caroline sketches into the fire. "Do you honestly think burning those will stop your feelings for Caroline?"

"She means nothing to me." Klaus said. "She betrayed me."

"Like you didn't have it coming." Kol smirked. "Come brother, the Klaus I use to know wouldn't have allowed himself to be possessed by a girl."

Klaus paused ripping pages from his sketchbook to look at his younger arrogant brother. "Speaking from experience, brother?"

"What do you mean?" Kol asked, giving him a confused look.

"Oh come now." Klaus threw his sketchbook down in a chair, throwing Kol a smirk, as he walked past him and toward a large wooden desk. He pulled opened a drawer and in his right hand he held up a bundle of letters, sending a smirk toward Kol. "You haven't forgotten your great love affair of 1902?"

Kol's arms fell to his sides as he looked at his brother. He watched Klaus carefully with his dark brown eyes as he walked toward him and handed him the large bundle of letters. They were aged from being nearly over a hundred years old but were kept with care, thanks to Klaus.

Slowly, Kol untied the ribbon that tied them together, and he opened the first letter on the pile. As his eyes moved across the words on the page, he realized that he knew these words. When he finished the letter he saw the name signed at the bottom of the page.

"Ellie." He whispered. And just like that, Kol remembered.

* * *

><p>Everything flashed through Kol's mind as he fell into the chair. All the memories that he buried within him for the past 100 years resurfaced as his mind filled with the image of her. When Kol was daggered he had a dream like moment when he saw her, in her lilac colored dress, bare footed as she liked it, running down the dirt path.<p>

He swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat and he couldn't be more happy that none of his other siblings were around to see him like this. To see him in a moment of weakness.

His dark brown eyes moved to his brother who was standing beside the fireplace again, but his blue eyes were on his younger brother. Klaus had his arms crossed and a knowing smile on his face.

"You kept them, the letters?" Kol couldn't believe it.

"Of course." Klaus smiled. "I couldn't just throw them away could I? They proved to be useful." And then Klaus shrugged and gave his younger brother a small true smile. "Anyways they meant something to you. She meant something to you." And then just like that the smile was gone and was replaced with his typical smirk. "Besides, I could have used them to black mail you."

Things changed within the 100 years that he had been daggered. So many things were different but as he had the letters in the inside of his coat pocket, he realized that one thing still hadn't changed, Ellie was still dead. She was probably dust now in that coffin as he thought about it.

He never imagined that he would be standing here again. He couldn't believe that it had been over 100 years since she died in his arms. Pulling his coat closer to his body, Kol approached the aged headstone, slowly. He knelt down and began to brush the light snow that had fallen on it off of the headstone.

"Hello Ellie." Kol sighed as he reached his hand out, and just as he did 100 years ago, he traced the letters of her name carved into the stone with his finger. "It's been awhile."

"Hello there."

Kol turned and found an older man, with work gloves on, giving him a curious look. He stood up and gave the man a polite nod. "Afternoon sir."

The man must have been the cemetery's care taker. He nodded to Ellie's grave behind him. "I take it that you're a friend of the Wright family?"

"Distant friend." Kol replied.

The man nodded. "I see."

Kol turned to look at Ellie's headstone before he turned back to the man. He put his hands in his coat pocket and set his eyes on the care taker. "Excuse me, but you wouldn't know what happened to the Wright family would you? I mean after El... Danielle passed?" He spread his hands out. "I mean I don't see any other member of the Wright family buried here."

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><p>"Well after that young one died, the family moved from Corby, England in 1905." The man answered. "I guess the father wasn't the same after he lost his youngest daughter."<p>

"No they were close." Kol sighed and then quickly shrugged. "Or so I've heard."

"The eldest daughter Christine married about a year after that. She had 4 children but one of them died from a fever when they were 3. The mother passed away in 1912 and the father passed away about 9 months after her." The man explained.

"And the youngest? Jamie?" Kol asked.

The care taker shrugged. "No one knows really. He disappeared when he was 16. No one know what happened to him. It was rumored that he had become obsessed with the supernatural, like his sister Danielle was. He supposedly obsessed with the vampire lore."

"Vampires?" Kol raised his brow.

"Yep." The care taker shrugged. "I just figured he went mad and just wanted be left alone. Like his father he never really got over the death of his sister. From what I've been told she was really something."

Kol nodded. "She was." He shrugged. "Or so I've been told."

"Another thing that was talked about was how in love she was with some wealthy man. Her older sister would talk about their love story to her children." The care taker smiled. "To have your first love cut so short. Poor girl."

Kol was left alone with Ellie's grave as the care taker moved on. As he knelt down again Kol kept on thinking about everything he had been told. Christine had kept their love story alive and he smiled at the thought. She had moved on with her life just as Ellie would have wanted her too. What troubled Kol was that Jamie had disappeared. He began to wonder, if maybe, just maybe he had been turned into a vampire. He couldn't help but to wonder if Ellie had told Jamie anything or had left behind anything.

Sighing he pulled out the letters and began to read through them. It was then he noticed that one of the letters were missing. And it just happened to be the one that Kol had held most dear, her very last letter. Instead it was replaced with a more recent letter which happened to be in Klaus' handwriting.

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><p>Kol rolled his eyes and wondered what he had done now. What game did Klaus want to play?<p>

But what the letter had read Kol couldn't possibly have imagined. Not at all. He didn't know if he should kill Klaus or hug him. He read the letter over and over again. He quickly pulled out his cellphone (which he had learned to use thanks to Elijah) and dialed Klaus' number.

"Hello brother." Klaus said as if he had been expecting Kol to call at any moment.

"What the hell did you do?" Kol growled in response.

Klaus laughed through the phone. "I told you the letters proved to be useful."

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><p><strong>And that's the end. I know, I left it with a cliff hanger. :)<br>Reviews are loved! :D**

**Please be on the look out for my new story the Elijah/OC story. It's going to be titled 'Silent Confessions.' Should be posted soon! :D**


	23. Author's Note: IMPORTANT

**Hello my lovely readers!**

**I just want to thank you for all who have read this story, commented and added it to your favorites! It meant so much to me. I just wanted to let you all know that I will be rewriting this story. Having gone back and read it, I decided that I could write it better. I will be taking this one down soon and the new one will be up shortly.**

**Some things will be the same others will not but for the most part it will continue the same story line. I know, I know, heart breaking! But I hope you all will enjoy the revamp!**

**-KT xo**


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